Detroit officer on medical leave charged in drive-by shooting

A Detroit Police officer has been charged in a drive-by shooting in Ray Township.

Clifford Earl Gullion was arraigned on felony charges Thursday including firing in or at a building.

He was given a $250,000 bond and is currently in the Macomb County Jail.

Macomb County Deputies were called to a home in Ray Township early Thursday morning to a report of gunshots. A caller in the 16000 block of 29 Mile Road said there were several shots fired at the front of the house.

Deputies said a woman who lives in the home receives in-home care for a medical condition. She has a caregiver who lives nearby and deputies said the caregiver and the woman's husband got into an argument.  At some point the homeowner husband may have been critical of Gullion's wife.

"Really strange situation, once we revealed all the facts ," Macomb County Sheriff Anthony Wickersham said. "The victim homeowners were talking to a third party and may have said something not nice about the suspect's wife. That information got back to the suspect. 

"It really set him off and he was calling and trying to text him. They were ignoring him and at some point he thought 'I'll get their attention, I'll drive by and fire several shots at their house.'"

After the argument, the shots were fired. Deputies say they spoke with the man, later identified as the Detroit officer, and he came into the sheriff's office for an interview. 

"Our deputies could go to the suspect's house, which is right around the corner," Wickersham said. "His vehicle was warm and they could see what appeared to be a possible casing inside. He did admit he fired four or five casings at the house. 

If convicted, Gullion could get 12 years in prison. 

According to Detroit Police Chief James Craig, Gullion, 33,  has been on medical leave and, effective Thursday, is suspended without pay. Craig says an Internal Affairs investigation has been launched.

Gullion has been with the department since 2009 and has been on medical leave since 2013. His police car was hit by another driver who was at fault.

Gullion's next door neighbor Marvin Hale says that he's had "no problems whatsoever" with the suspect.

"He's been a great neighbor," Hale said, adding that the medical leave has been tough on Gullion. "He was in a very bad accident. I don't know if he's been depressed, but he wants to work and he's not capable of doing it."