Man fired for stealing returns to Livonia store with gun

LIVONIA, Mich. (WJBK) - Fired for stealing, an ex-employee has been arrested after returning to his former place of work in Livonia with a gun.

It was a terrifying scene caught on security cameras at the Texas Choice Meat Company in Livonia. Police say 43-year-old Michael Shemon is a former employee at the Livonia business.

"My rep and my secretary, they both said that they heard a click," said manager Josh Coggins.

No shot was fired, but it wasn't for a lack of trying -- police tell us his gun jammed.  

"He pulled it from an inside pocket of his jacket. So I would have never guessed that he had a gun," Coggins said.

He says just two hours before the incident was caught on security cameras, he had fired Shemon for stealing from the business, saying that theft was also caught on camera. 

"So when I presented him with the video of him entering the building and mentioned about the money that was missing we felt the need to let him go. We weren't going to press charges or anything like that," Coggins said.

He says he thought that was the end of it, until Shemon showed up in the back parking lot and started arguing with a sales rep. Coggins says they didn't even know each other. 

"Not exactly sure what was said. Next thing I know, I see my rep take off running through my warehouse," he said.

Coggins says he then called the police. After the gun jammed the ex-employee tried to get away but didn't make it too far just getting next door where he was arrested without incident. The manager says that Shemon had worked at the meat company for two and a half years and was recently demoted from manager to sales rep. 

"He's battling and chasing some demons right now," he said.

Police say Shemon was not under the influence of any substance. He's been charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, possession of a Taser and being a habitual offender.