SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (WXYZ) — A 21-year-old West Bloomfield man is facing assault and gun charges after a shooting at a Southfield gas station left a 47-year-old man hospitalized with bullet wounds to his leg and hip.
Watch Randy Wimbley's video report:
Jeremiah Clemons was arrested the day after the May 3 shooting at the Exxon station at 8 Mile and Southfield roads. Police body camera footage captured his arrest.
Southfield Police Chief Elvin Barren said the confrontation began with an argument inside the gas station. Surveillance video shows Clemons and the victim coming chest-to-chest before the dispute spilled outside and turned violent.
"The suspect produced a handgun and opened fire on the victim, striking him twice before fleeing the area with other occupants of the vehicle. And what we did discover is that he shot at our victim four times. Two of those rounds did take effect," Barren said.
See surveillance footage below:
Investigators first located a friend who was with Clemons during the shooting. On Tuesday, a search warrant at his home turned up what police believe is the magazine from the gun used in the shooting.
Police say Clemons dismantled the gun, burying parts of it — including the barrel and slide — in a vacant lot on Detroit's east side, more than a dozen miles from the shooting scene.
"Once the shooting happened, he wanted to get rid of the evidence and so, I believe he still wanted to have a gun. So maybe he disabled and buried half the gun, maybe took the other components to another location, then waited to see if the police department was gonna catch up with them and then bring those two components back together and continue carrying a gun," Barren said.
Barren said the incident serves as a reminder of the importance of de-escalation.
"The best thing to do is really simply walk away. And I'm talking at this time on both sides, you know, just maintaining a sense of composure. Drop the egos and let it happen because this shooting should not have happened," Barren said.
Clemons' mother said by phone her son is not a criminal or a killer. His uncle, Tremell Carpenter, says poor decisions were made on both sides and suggests the shooting may have been in self-defense.
"He didn't know if the guy had a gun or not, and the guy was acting like he had a gun and he went to the car and came back and walked up on his car that he was riding in with him and some other friends. And he said the guy made a gesture like he wanted to shoot at him," Carpenter said.
Police say the victim is in stable condition. Clemons is being held in the Oakland County Jail on a $250,000 bond. His next court date is May 20.
—————
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
