Woman killed at Taylor gas station had ongoing feud with shooter

TAYLOR, Mich. (WJBK) - A mother of four is dead after a shooting at a gas station in Taylor.

Police sent the case to the Wayne County prosecutor's office over the weekend, but it was returned. Prosecutors needed more information to determine if the shooter, accused of killing Tonya Davidson, at the Taylor Fuel Stop will face charges. 

"I just know that she isn't what they are portraying her to be," said Anthony Laird, Davidson's son. "A victim."

What one woman reportedly called self-defense, another woman's family calls it murder.

"I believe 100 percent that this was premeditated, that she had every intention," said Crystal Atallah. "She provoked my sister and this was her plan, to shoot her."

Davidson, 40, died after being shot at the gas station on Ecorse near Monroe in Taylor Friday. Her family says it began that morning with Tonya and the shooter arguing at a Tim Hortons, then another argument at the gas station.

"I'm standing in line and this lady comes up behind the other lady and starts beating her up, just punching her so hard and so fast." said Louis Smith, who witnessed what happened. "And the lady that was getting beat up, pulled out a gun and shot this lady in the stomach."

Davidson and the woman who shot her are said to have known each other for roughly 15 years, and much of that has been defined by tension and bad blood. Davidson, a mother of four, had two daughters with a man who fathered one of the shooter's children. We are not identifying her because police are still investigating the killing.

"There's been altercations between them. There was a court order to stay away from Tonya’s children. On Halloween she was with her children," said Atallah.

Police are now taking a closer look at the women's relationship to determine what bearing that had on the shooting.

"She didn't deserve to die," said Pamela Alexander, the best friend of Davidson. "I don't feel getting hit or getting punched deserves for somebody to pull out a gun and shoot you."

According to Michigan law, someone can use only deadly force if they honestly and reasonably believe it's necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm, and if they were not in the commission of a crime when they used lethal force.

Now the shooter was taken into custody on Friday but has since been released pending possible charges. FOX 2 reached out to her tonight but got no response.