Detroit gas station triple shooting leads to push for ban on businesses from locking doors on customers
(CBS DETROIT) - Community activist minister Teferi Brent spoke with CBS News Detroit moments after attending Gregory Kelly's funeral.
Kelly was among three people shot on May 6 inside of a Mobile gas station on W. McNichols.
"His son and his daughter don't have a father all because of this clerk's immaturity and lack of training," Brent said. "If they received the training, that wouldn't have happened."
The shooting happened after a store clerk locked Kelly and two others inside the store during a dispute with a customer over $4.
Samuel McCray was arrested and is facing charges for the shooting, but Brent is calling for the clerk to be charged as well.
"I'm highly upset at the blatant disregard for black life demonstrated and expressed by the clerk. I'm sure that wouldn't have been done in his community. However, he felt compelled to believe that it was ok to do it in our community," he said. "I'm hopeful that madam Prosecutor (Kim) Worthy will do what she always does and do the right thing by the people, the victims, and provide justice for the families and charge the clerk because he absolutely deserves it."
Community activists like Brent say they fully support a proposed ordinance that would ban businesses from locking customers inside their stores.
Detroit City Council President Mary Sheffield introduced the proposal during Tuesday's City Council meeting.
In a statement, Sheffield tells CBS News Detroit:
"In light of the horrific and senseless gun violence that took place at a Mobil gas station on McNichols on Saturday, May 6th which resulted in the murder of Gregory Karlos Samuel Fortner-Kelly and injuries to two other individuals that were held against their will, I am looking into the legality of an ordinance prohibiting businesses from locking citizens in establishments. This entire incident, which involved a dispute over $3, could have been prevented and it is imperative that safety measures are put in place to ensure this never happens again in the City of Detroit."
Brent says this ordinance would be long overdue, but he says it's necessary to ensure what happened to Kelly doesn't happen to someone else.
"[Kelly's] life has to mean something. His children need to understand he will not die in vain and that as a result of what happened to him, other individuals will be protected from the same kinds of behaviors and acts," Brent said.
Brent also believes the city should take it a step further and pass a law that would prohibit 24-hour gas stations. He believes the city should mandate training for store clerks.
On Thursday, the gas station clerk, Al-Hassan Aiyash, 22, of Hamtramck, was charged with involuntary manslaughter in connection with Kelly's death. Aiyash was arrested Thursday evening and is expected to be arraigned Friday morning.
"The allegations of the defendant locking the door of the store and not heeding the pleas of the men to be released led to tragic consequences in this case," said Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy.
