Gas station clerk charged for locking door before triple-shooting that left 1 dead
FOX 2 (WJBK) - A 22-year-old Hamtramck man has been charged in connection to the Detroit gas station store shooting that killed one man and wounded two others.
Al-Hassan Aiyash has been charged with Involuntary Manslaughter in connection with the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Gregory Karlos Kelly on May 6 inside the Mobil gas station on McNichols near the Lodge, when Aiyash was employed as a store clerk there.
Al-Hassan Aiyash
Samuel Anthony McCray has been charged in the shooting, but Aiyash is being accused of endangering the victims by locking the door.
Aiyash, if convicted for the felony, faces a maximum penalty of 15 years. It is alleged he caused the death of Kelly by intentionally locking the door to the only available exit. By doing so, he kept Kelly from escaping a dangerous situation where a customer was threatening an act of violence.
Police say that accused gunman James McCray attempted to make a purchase inside the gas station store in the 12800 block of W. McNichols, and when the purchase of under $4 was declined, he attempted to leave with the unpurchased items.
Aiyash is alleged to have locked the store with McCray, Kelly, a 60-year-old man, and a 37-year-old man, all of Detroit, inside. The three innocent men repeatedly pleaded with Aiyash to unlock the door and let them out.
McCray became very agitated and continued to argue with Aiyash. The evidence will show that eventually, unknown to the three men, Aiyash pushed a security button to unlock the door, but failed to tell the men seconds before McCray began shooting at the three men.
Shooting suspect Samuel Anthony McCray
McCray produced a gun, fatally wounding Kelly and non-fatally wounding the 60-year-old and the 37-year-old male victims.
The shooting suspect fled from the gas station and when Detroit police officers were dispatched and arrived, found Kelly and the 37-year-old victim inside the gas station store suffering from gunshot wounds.
The 60-year-old victim left the store, entered a car, and was privately transported to a local hospital for treatment. Medics arrived on the scene and pronounced Kelly deceased.
Shooting victim Gregory Kelly
The surviving 37-year-old victim was transported by medics and treated at a local hospital. An investigation by the Detroit Police Department led to the arrest of McCray on May 7.
Aiyash was arrested by this evening by the Detroit Police Department and he is expected to be arraigned in 36th District Court on Friday morning after 10:00 a.m. Please request a photograph of the defendant from the Detroit Police Department after the arraignment.
"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 Prosecutor Kym Worthy.
On May 10, 2023, Samuel Anthony McCray was charged with First-Degree Murder, two counts of Assault with Intent to Murder, and three counts of Felony Firearm and Felon in Possession of a Firearm. * He was arraigned and remanded to jail in 36th District Court.
A probable cause conference is scheduled for May 23, 2023, at 8:30 a.m., and the Preliminary Examination is scheduled for May 30, 2023, at 1:45 p.m., before Judge Kenneth King.