Prosecutor: Guard who fatally shot thief acted in self-defense

A security guard who fatally shot a suspected thief on Tuesday will not be charged in his death, the Wayne County prosecutor's office announced Thursday.

Dominique Davis, 30, will not be charged for fatally shooting 52-year-old Melvin Johnson of Detroit, but was charged with carrying a concealed weapon without a permit.

At about 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Davis was working as a security guard at a business in the 260 block of Merton. She spotted Johnson stealing building materials and blocked his truck with her car.

After a heated verbal argument, Johnson agreed to let her take the items from his truck.

As she attempted to take them, he put the truck in reverse and drove in her direction.

Davis fired her gun, hitting Johnson in his right shoulder.

The security guard called police and Johnson was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

"Based upon a thorough review of the evidence it has been determined that Davis acted in lawful self-defense," the prosecutor's office said in a statement. "Under the law of self-defense a person must have an honest and reasonable belief that the use of deadly force was necessary to prevent imminent death or imminent great bodily harm.  In this case based upon a thorough review of the evidence it has been determined that Davis's acted in lawful self- defense."