State Lawmaker Robbed At Gunpoint Near Detroit Home
DETROIT (WWJ) - A state lawmaker says he was robbed at gunpoint near his Detroit home.
Democratic Rep. Jimmy Womack told reporters that he was getting into his car outside of a store on McNichols, between Second Ave. and Hamilton, Sunday night when three men approached with guns drawn.
Womack said the assailants first demanded his car but he refused. According to the lawmaker, one man said, "Just take his money," and the trio got away with around $300.
Womack said a person's life is certainly worth more than the automobile -- but he reacted in the moment.
"In fact, I did something that was stupid," Womack said, speaking live Tuesday morning on WWJ Newsradio 950. "They asked me for my car and I said I was not giving them my car. That is not the right decision.
"However, I just felt a little territorial. I'm in my own neighborhood at a local store ... but yes, I was afraid," he said.
Womack said he recognized one of the men, who did nothing to hide their faces.
"When you do something so brazen, you don't wear masks, you know I'm going to see you again because I see you all the time. It sends a clear message to us that we have some deep social problems we need to address," he said.
"We need to think very carefully about how we spend our money. We can spend $30-plus-thousand to incarcerate people or we can spend money to medicate people," said Womack. "We can spend money to help people get job training. There's no excuse for what happened to me or anyone else for that matter."
Womack was not injured during the incident. Reports say one of the suspects was arrested. An investigation is ongoing.
Meantime, officers conducting surveillance just a block from that scene Monday night heard gunshots and chased two men on foot. One pointed a gun at police and was shot and killed. Read more, here.
The robbery was the second in recent months of high-profile figures in Detroit. In May, popular pastor and gospel singer Marvin Winans was assaulted and carjacked at a Detroit gas station. Three men have been ordered to stand trial in that case.
