Business owner with CPL kills suspected thief in northwest Detroit

DETROIT (WJBK) - A business owner is accused of shooting and killing a suspected thief in a deadly encounter in northwest Detroit.

"The initial information that we're receiving it is an attempted robbery and that the business owner was defending himself," says Captain Mark Thornton of the Detroit police.

The shooting took place in front of a stretch of businesses on 7 Mile between Forrer and Montrose on Detroit's west side.

Police say the deceased is a man his mid-20s who frequented the area and may have known the business owner who shot and killed him.

"I did have a brief opportunity to speak with someone who identified himself as the victim's father and he said that he was an entrepreneur, shall I say. He was selling CDs. His own CDs or something to that effect," Thornton says.

Police say the victim appears to have been unarmed. His name has not yet been released.

They did not recover a weapon from him and it's unclear as of now if the business owner was attacked or sustained any injuries before or during the shooting. 

Police say the business owner does have a valid CPL license.

Detroit police confirm to FOX 2 an owner of the The Original Hip Hop Shop is in police custody while their investigation continues. 

"A citizen has the right to defend himself. That's the only thing I can give you at this particular point in time and again it is an ongoing investigation and that will come out in the near future," Thornton says.

It will be up to the prosecutor's office to pursue charges once the police investigation concludes.