Detroit gas station clerk charged after fatally shooting customer, prosecutor says
(CBS DETROIT) - A Detroit gas station clerk has been charged in connection with the fatal shooting of a customer on Monday, officials said.
Detroit police say the shooting happened at about 3:05 a.m. Monday at a Mobil station on the corner of Clarke and West Vernor Highway.
It is alleged that the station clerk, Moad Mohamed Al-Gaham, 40, was involved in a verbal altercation with a customer, Anthony McNary, 25, of Detroit, over McNary taking a beef jerky product and placing it in his pocket.
Officials say Al-Gaham retrieved the product from McNary's pocket. When McNary attempted to pay for the item, Al-Gaham refused his money and made him leave the store.
Al-Gaham locked the store doors and prevented McNary from reentering. Officials say Al-Gaham allegedly held a handgun in the line of the victim's forehead and fatally shot him.
Upon arriving on the scene, police officers found the victim, who was unarmed, lying on the ground with a gunshot wound to the forehead. He was transported to an area hospital where he was later pronounced deceased.
Al-Gaham was charged with first-degree murder and felony firearm.
"Here we are less than one month after the locked door incident at a Detroit gas station on West McNichols. This simply cannot continue to happen," said Prosecutor Kym Worthy. "In this case, the defendant allegedly had a weapon aimed at Mr. McNary's face while he was in a place of safety on the other side of a locked glass door and pulled the trigger. He had time to premeditate his actions and was not in any immediate danger."
Al-Gaham was arraigned Thursday morning and remanded to jail.
The prosecutor's office says Al-Gaham is currently under investigation for another shooting. Officials say last year, Al-Gaham kicked an unruly customer out of the store and fired a shot after the customer got too close to Al-Gaham's car.
He has not been charged in that case.
Detroit police have shut down the gas station because it was operating without a license.
A probable cause conference is scheduled for June 22, and a preliminary examination is slated for June 29.