Man's family says Canton gas station shooting was self-defense

CANTON, Mich. (WJBK) - Police are investigating if a shooting at a gas station in Canton was self defense. 

The shooting happened Tuesday afternoon, causing police to rope off the Valero gas station near Ikea at Haggerty and Ford Road. In the center of it all -- two cars around a gas pump near the store’s entrance. Police were called there at 2:45 p.m. for a shooting that sent one man to the hospital with a gunshot wound to the cheek.

Police said it was more than a graze but wouldn’t elaborate on the severity of the injury. Investigators did say the shooter and the person hit were acquaintances. But the grandmother of the alleged shooter told FOX 2 this goes a lot deeper than "acquaintances."

“He complained about it to his boss that they were messing with him," she says.

She says her grandson had been working at Chrysler for about eight months and was being harassed by coworkers. She claims that all boiled over Tuesday afternoon at the gas station.

“His dad said he called him and said somebody was shooting at him," the suspect's grandmother says. "And he told him to pull into a gas station or somewhere."

Police said they are unable to confirm these claims, as this is still an active investigation. 

The suspect's grandmother said her grandson owned the gun legally, but she never dreamed he would ever need to use it in this manner, saying he was never in trouble. 

“He calls me everyday when he gets off from work and says, 'Granny do you need anything? How you doing? I will talk to you tomorrow.'"

FOX 2 was told the shooting victim was taken to the hospital as soon as police arrived, but police wouldn't elaborate on his condition. The alleged shooter is in custody.

It is too soon to tell if any charges will come of this, as police spent hours on scene collecting evidence. 

According to the gas station employee there are no cameras outside, which the owner said he plans to change in the coming days.