This browser does not support the Video element.
Prosecutor announces charges in after-hours club mass shooting
Kym Worthy named suspect Christopher Gouch as the shooter and gave disturbing details of the incident.
FOX 2 - Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said a stolen cell phone led to last weekend's mass shooting in Detroit.
Big picture view:
Christopher Rafael Gouch has been charged with 14 counts in connection to the Prest Street after-hours party shooting in a Detroit residence.
Worthy said that seven people were shot and three killed all over a stolen cell phone after "a fight between women who couldn't control their emotions because, allegedly, a cell phone went missing."
Among Gouch's charges are three counts of premeditated murder and four counts of assault with intent to commit murder.
On Sept. 27, the fight broke out at the house in the 14800 block of Prest where the fight between women escalated to outside the residence.
"The defendant we are charging today entered the melee and fired multiple shots," Worthy said.
Suspect Christopher Gouch
Victims of the Shooting
Dig deeper:
Worthy named the three victims as:
- Donahvan Gray, 36, Detroit
- Ansley Harris Jr., 45, Detroit
- Kevin Scott, 63, Belleville
Also injured in the shooting were a 32-year-old woman from Redford, a 25-year-old man from Redford, a 30-year-old Detroit man and a 28-year-old Detroit woman.
Suspect's Attorney Says Self-Defense
This browser does not support the Video element.
Mass shooting suspect appears in court
Christopher Gouch is charged with three counts of murder and four counts of assault with intent to murder after he allegedly opened fire on a crowd at an after-hours party location in Detroit.
The other side:
Christopher Gouch appeared in court where it was revealed that he has no prior criminal history and had a valid concealed pistol license.
The prosecutor said that 16 bullet casings were found at the scene of the fatal shooting.
Gouch's attorney argued self-defense, saying he was preventing someone from being jumped and in the process, he got jumped.
"Eventually other altercations occurred and he was helping someone getting assaulted by multiple people," his attorney said. "He believes lives were in great bodily harm and in danger of possibly dying themselves."
The judge said that several aspects weighed in Gouch's favor including an "imperfect self-defense argument" but ordered he be remanded without bail.
The backstory:
Three people died, and four others were injured in the shooting. The deceased victims were all over the age of 30.
The victims that suffered non-life-threatening injuries were taken to the hospital and are expected to recover.
DPD Chief Todd Bettison said on Monday the address where the shooting occurred had previously been on police’s radar. Officers had been called to the Prest Street address seven times for service since the beginning of the year, he said.
Related:
- Family, friends reeling after Detroit mass shooting
- Arrest made in Detroit shooting that killed three, injured four
Officials say there was already an investigation into the address. The police chief described the location as having "dancing-type activities" similar to a strip club.
What's next:
A probable cause exam for Gouch is scheduled for Oct. 9 and a preliminary examination is set for Oct. 15.
The Source: Information for this report is from Friday's press conference.