Detroit gas station employee kills alleged shoplifting customer, business shut down

DETROIT (FOX 2) - An alleged shoplifting customer was shot and killed by a Detroit gas station clerk Monday morning as he was running away from the store. Now police have arrested the employee and shut down the business.

Police shut down the Mobil gas station at Clark and Vernor on Monday, hours after the customer was killed by a single shot. According to the now-arrested store employee, the customer was stealing from the store but Chief James White said that's not a reason to kill someone.

"Customer was allegedly stealing items out of the store...He leaves the store, we don't know yet if the door was locked he tried to come back in," White said. "At this point, it's senseless and at this point, we don't think this was justified in any way."

As police were investigating, they learned much more about the business.

"We are going to shut them down," he said.

White and his staff delivered the news to employees of the gas station just a few hours after a homicide. According to White, the employee fired a single time through the glass door, killing the 25-year-old man from Detroit. White called the shooting senseless and says it was all because of an alleged theft.

According to police, the gun - like the business - was unlicensed.

"Unlicensed firearm and we are going to be tracking the firearm to see if it was used in any other crime," White said.

Detroit Police Officers were out in large numbers on Monday to make sure all businesses in the area are licensed to be there.

"We are going to look at this whole row to see if they're operating legally and if not we will close them down," White said.

The clerk was taken into custody and charges are pending.