(NEW YORK) — A Michigan man is accused of fatally shooting his neighbor after getting into an argument with him on the street, officials said.
Devereaux Christopher Johnson, 47, of Canton, was arraigned Monday on first-degree murder in connection with the shooting, the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office said.
The victim — 35-year-old father-of-two Nathan Morris, also of Canton — was shot and killed while on a walk Saturday morning, the prosecutor’s office said.
“It is alleged that the defendant initiated a verbal argument when he saw Mr. Morris walking down the street,” the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement. “Defendant Johnson then produced and fired a handgun multiple times, fatally wounding Mr. Morris who was unarmed at the time he was killed.”
The suspect allegedly started threatening Morris’ family after one of Morris’ daughters touched the neighbor’s mulch, according to former RNC National Committeewoman Hima Kolanagireddy, a friend and colleague of the victim’s, according to her statement shared on the Michigan GOP X account. Morris stayed behind to try and “diffuse” the situation while his family went home, her statement continued.
Canton police officers responding to a reported shooting shortly before noon Saturday found Morris lying in the street suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, the prosecutor’s office said.
Morris was transported to a local hospital, where he died, police said.
Johnson barricaded himself inside his home following the shooting before ultimately surrendering, according to police.
Johnson was additionally charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and two counts of felony firearm, the prosecutor’s office said. Judge Jim Plakas entered a plea of not guilty on his behalf to all charges during his arraignment on Monday.
Johnson’s attorney, Wade McCann, requested a referral to the Center for Forensic Psychiatry to assess competency and criminal responsibility, which Plakas allowed.
The suspect was remanded to jail without bond and is next scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 23. ABC News has reached out to his attorney for comment.
The charge of first-degree murder carries a sentence of life without parole if convicted, police said.
“This was a senseless act of violence toward the victim,” Canton Police Chief Chad Baugh said in a statement following the incident. “The Canton Police Department sends our deepest condolences to the victim’s family, and to the neighbors who may have witnessed this tragic event.”
Morris worked as an engineer at Ford Motors, according to Kolanagireddy, an executive committee member of the Wayne 6th County Republican Committee, where Morris served as the secretary.
“Nathan is one of those few guys who are near perfect,” Kolanagireddy said. “He would do no harm and think no harm. He is just an amazing and gentle soul. He will be missed dearly.”
He is survived by his wife of 10 years and two girls, ages 5 and 2, according to his church, St. Michael Lutheran Church of Canton.
His friend, Edward McCall, called the incident “surreal” and said the victim’s family and friends are “numb and shocked.”
“He was a great man, and a real gentleman, a real father figure,” McCall told ABC Detroit affiliate WXYZ-TV. “I’m just kind of sorting through the kind of loss that represents for his family.”
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