Highland Park, Michigan

From the Detroit Free-Press of February 2, 2005

Highland Park man shoots; 1 dead, 1 hurt

Two men were shot, one fatally, in Highland Park on Tuesday night after they tried to force their way into a house, a spokesman for the Wayne County Sheriff's Office said.

An 18-year-old man was killed and his 26-year-old cousin wounded in the arm at the house in the 100 block of Grove around 9 p.m., said John Roach, spokesman for the sheriff's office.

The cousin is in police custody at Henry Ford Hospital where he is listed in temporary serious condition. The 50-year old man living at the house, who says he fired his gun in self-defense, was being held at the sheriff's office lockup in Highland Park.

The older man told deputies that the 26-year-old was his girlfriend's son and that the couple did not get along with him.

The son beat the older man up so badly last week that he had to go to the hospital for stitches, the man told deputies.

On Tuesday, the 26-year-old man called him and said he was "coming over to finish the job." At about 9:15 p.m., the 26-year-old and his 18-year-old cousin came to the house, banged on the door and demanded to be let in.

The older man said he grabbed his gun. Roach said police are unsure if the two younger men forced the door open or if the older man opened it. The older man fired the gun twice, striking the 18-year-old in the neck. He was taken to Henry Ford Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The 26-year-old fled the scene and jumped into a waiting car that sheriff's deputies later pulled over. The driver of the car was arrested and is being held at the lockup in Highland Park.

No subsequent stories about this incident were found.