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Warrant Request for Detroit Fatal Shooting at Hayes and Fordham Denied

The Shooter Acted in Lawful Self-Defense

Today the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office has denied a warrant request for a 37-year-old Detroit woman* suspected in the fatal shooting of Angela McDuell, 48, of Clinton Township. The suspect and Ms. McDuell knew each other and were previously in a relationship. On April 22, 2019 at, 7:15 p.m., Ms. McDuell, the suspect and a female friend were outside of a liquor store at Hayes and Fordham in Detroit. All three women engaged in a verbal argument in the parking lot of the store. During the argument, Ms. McDuell pepper sprayed the suspect. The suspect, a licensed CPL holder, went to her car and retrieved a handgun. The verbal argument appeared to end, and Ms. McDuell walked back to her car. Shortly thereafter, Ms. McDuell got into her car and twice drove it in reverse at a high rate of speed toward the suspect and her friend as they tried to get away. When Ms. McDuell drove at them for third time, almost pinning them against a wall with her car, the suspect fired one shot, fatally wounding Ms. McDuell.

Under Michigan law, in order to use deadly force in self-defense, a person must have an honest and reasonable belief that she is danger of being killed or seriously injured. The law also provides that if the person has an honest and reasonable belief that another person is danger of being killed or seriously injured, there is right to use deadly force in lawful self-defense of another.

Witness interviews and video evidence of the incident were thoroughly reviewed. The evidence in this case shows that Ms. McDuell drove her car at the suspect and her friend at a high rate of speed multiple times. The suspect did not point the gun at Ms. McDuell prior to the shooting and did not fire a shot until the third time that the car sped toward the suspect and her friend, nearly pinning them to the wall. It was reasonable for the suspect to assume that being struck by the car or pinned against the wall would cause death or serious injury. The facts of this case clearly show that it was reasonable for the suspect to use deadly force to defend herself and her friend. The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office finds that the shooting was justified and the warrant request has been denied.

*The name of the shooter is not being released because she will not be charged with a crime.

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