A Michigan father of two was shot and killed Saturday after a fatal confrontation with a neighbor, police said.
The violence erupted just before noon in a quiet residential area of Canton. One neighbour He told FOX2 In the more than 30 years he’s lived there, nothing like this has ever happened in the neighborhood.
Canton Police officers were dispatched to the 200 block of Cornell Street for an apparent conflict between two neighbors.
Pictured is Nathan Morris with his family. (FOX2)
Responding officers found the victim suffering from a gunshot wound and was transported to a local hospital where he later died.
The shooting suspect, later identified as 47-year-old Devereaux Christopher Johnson, eventually turned himself in to police after barricading himself in the home.
“This was a senseless act of violence against the victim,” Canton Police Chief Chad Baugh said in a statement. “The Canton Police Department offers its deepest condolences to the victim’s family and to neighbors who may have witnessed this tragic incident.”
North Carolina sheriff hunting ‘Christmas Killer’ knows him personally and warns he has ‘nothing to lose’
The victim was identified as 35-year-old Nathan Morris, an engineer for Ford Motors and a father of two.
A GoFundMe page set up by Morris’ family describes him as “first and foremost a family man.” [who] I am active in my community and recently ran for Canton School Board.”
Deveraux Christopher Johnson is in custody. (FOX2)
Hima Kolanagireddy, a Michigan Republican National Committee member, said Morris got involved in politics when Ford made COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory. She said she “worked closely with Morris as a former chair of Michigan’s 6th Central Committee and as a member of Wayne’s 6th Central Committee, where Morris served as secretary.”
“On Saturday, Nathan was out walking with his family in the neighbourhood when his daughter touched soil from a neighbour’s house. The neighbour pulled out a gun and started threatening the family,” Kolanagireddy said. “Nathan wanted his family to go home and said he would try to sort things out, but instead he was shot and killed.”
Mr Kolanagireddy described Mr Morris as “a gentle soul” who was “near perfect”.
“He never did any harm or even thought of doing any harm,” she wrote.
Johnson was arraigned Monday in 35th District Court on charges of first-degree murder and being a felon in possession of a weapon. Judge James A. Plakas ordered Johnson held without bail in the Wayne County Jail.
Click here to get the FOX News app
Johnson’s next court hearing is scheduled for Aug. 23.
