Attorney helped negotiate Dearborn Hampton Inn gunman surrender

DEARBORN, Mich. (FOX 2) - A Metro Detroit attorney played a large role in negotiating a surrender from a barricaded gunman Thursday following a fatal shooting of a hotel clerk - and seven-hour standoff.

Dearborn police contacted attorney Gabi Silver with an urgent request that the suspect wanted to speak to her. Investigators say the 38-year-old gunman - who has a history of mental illness and drug abuse - shot and killed a 55-year-old hotel clerk in a suspected dispute over a refund.

"We spoke for a good number of hours," Silver said. "It’s really kind of a weird thing. I had a situation like this once, many years ago, that did not end quite as well."

Silver made contact with the suspect.

"We talked about his family, we talked about getting him out of that room safely, about his concerns," she said.

Silver did not divulge if he discussed the crime.

"I’m not going to talk about the specifics as it relates to any crime that occurred," she added.

"Prior to our arrival, there was a shooting, a fatality. That individual was taken to the hospital where he was found to be deceased," Dearborn Police Chief Shahin said. "The victim, he was 55 years old from Riverview, who was just trying to do his job. It's tragic."

The shooting was sparked by a confrontation over the bill on the hotel's third floor and the gunman wanted a refund, Shahin said.

She said she knew few details about the crime scene.

"There were a lot of things going through my mind. At times I wondered if I should just hang up," Silver said. "I just knew in my mind if something happened, if something went wrong, I would feel responsible."

So the attorney kept talking and she said many times the suspect was quiet, and there were times when police and the suspect’s family were talking to him.

Read More: Dearborn police: Hampton Inn clerk killed by gunman with mental illness, history of drug abuse

FOX 2 obtained a cellphone video of the police negotiating with the gunman, trying to get the suspect to come out.

"Sir, just step out into the hallway so that we can see you," the officer said. "Let us see your hands, first, and then come on out. Let's see your hands sir. Let us see your hands. Let us see your hands. We just want to talk. We just want to end this peacefully, get you some help, man."

"I told him I would stay on the phone with him right up until the very end, until he walked out," she said. "That’s what I did."

After about seven hours, the suspect surrendered without incident.

As you can see this is still an active investigation but on Friday investigator said they would not be coming to the media so that this investigation is not jeopardized.

As for possibly representing the suspect in court, this attorney says that remains to be seen.

"I was just very relieved that no one else got hurt," she said.

"The suspect has a history of mental illness and drug abuse," the chief said. "I've been a chief now for about nine months and far too often we're running into situations where people suffer from mental illness that are armed with firearms and the outcomes are often tragic. 

"There is a broader issue here than what is just happening in the city of Dearborn. The combination of mental illness and access to firearms."