Detroit man charged with killing neighbor, barricading himself in home
(CBS DETROIT) - A Detroit man is charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of his neighbor.
This comes four days after police said he barricaded himself in his home, which caused a standoff with officers.
According to Detroit police, Michael Craig Lackey, 59, used a handgun to shoot and kill Michele Elder, 61, on the morning of Nov. 17. The suspect and the victim lived on Robson Street near the intersection of Joy Road.
The victim was found lying face down in the street with a gunshot wound to her head. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said Lackey then barricaded himself inside his home, causing a brief standoff.
During the standoff, Detroit police said Lackey was upset over multiple issues. One of Lackey's main issues, according to police, was an Amazon package that was delivered to his neighbor last year during the holidays. Police said he couldn't get the package back from his neighbor.
That caused a conflict, which led to Lackey being charged with a misdemeanor. He was eventually sentenced to 60 days in jail for that incident.
🚨BARRICADED UPDATE: Chief James E. White updates the community on a barricaded situation in the 8500 block of Robson on the city's west side. The barricaded gunman is reported to have an arsenal of weapons. He is alone in the home. It's imperative that residents shelter in place and motorists avoid the area as we respond to this ongoing situation and work toward a peaceful resolution. Our Special Response Team and Crisis Intervention Trained officers are on scene. #OneDetroit
Posted by Detroit Police Department on Thursday, November 17, 2022
Police said Lackey's family told him he had an arsenal of weapons, some of them military grade. It was unclear exactly how many guns he had, but police said he had nine registered handguns.
Police pointed out that long guns are not registered the same way as handguns. Upon learning that information, police told other residents in that area of Robson Street to leave their home out of an abundance of caution.
🚨FINAL UPDATE: Chief White provides a final update as the barricaded suspect has been taken into custody. One person is deceased, and our prayers are with that victim’s family. Thank you to our Crisis Negotiation Team and Crisis Intervention Team officers on the scene who patiently worked to reach a peaceful resolution and get the suspect in custody. Also, thank you to our community members for their patience, prayers and continued support. #OneDetroit
Posted by Detroit Police Department on Thursday, November 17, 2022
Detroit Police Chief James White said the hostage negotiation team played a crucial role in getting Lackey to peacefully surrender to authorities.
Lackey remains in jail. He has a probable cause hearing scheduled for Nov. 28.