Sheriff admonishes Michigan's criminal justice system after deadly Christmas Eve shooting
(FOX 2) - Five days after the tragic shooting in northern Oakland County left one dead, two others with gunshot wounds, and several others stricken after coming near the suspect, the sheriff is pleading with the legislature to strengthen its prison laws.
Michael Bouchard claimed the "criminal justice system has run off the rails again" in Michigan after another violent offender out on parole obtained a gun before harming several people who tried to help him.
While those who have broken the law but are nonviolent deserve some punishment, Bouchard said prison time wasn't the answer.
"But people that have a violent history or commit a violent act, or are carrying or using a weapon illegally need serious penalties," he said Monday.
In the latest case of a person with a history of violence perpetuating crime, Malik Webb, 29, of Flint, shot three people who had attempted to help him after he crashed his car.
He shot a mother and daughter before shooting at a third man prior to his arrest, striking all three.
Before the Christmas Eve shooting, Webb had been charged with seven weapons offenses over a nine-year period. He was recently paroled in July and had time left to serve at the time he began randomly shooting people.
"Had they not made that choice to let him out, he wouldn't be in a position to shoot people on Christmas Eve," Bouchard said.
The Oakland County Sheriff hoped the incoming legislature would improve upon a package of bills intended to reform the criminal justice system. He likened the current status of Michigan's prisons to an era when the state's parole board came under scrutiny following a series of violent crimes in the early 90s.
Shooting timeline
Bouchard called the shooting carried out by Webb "incredibly random and another punch in the gut" for a community already stricken by mass violence before.
Webb had allegedly been traveling back from a Christmas party in Rochester when he struck a pole in Oxford. That happened around 6:21 p.m., the sheriff said.
As he backed up, he drove forward and struck the pole again. At that time, two folks in a nearby parking lot went over to see if he was okay, prompting Webb to point a handgun at them.
Then at 6:30 p.m., deputies got another report of a car crashed in a ditch near Ray Road in Oxford.
Shooting scene in Oxford after man opened fired on good Samaritans
An individual identified as the third victim, had stopped to ask for help. Instead, Webb pointed a gun at her before carjacking her. However, he had trouble getting the vehicle into gear before abandoning it.
At 6:32 p.m., a woman later identified as Dr. Barbara Wolf, 71, was with her daughter had asked if he needed help. Instead, Webb shot her multiple times.
Her daughter was also shot while dialing 911.
Right after that, another driver pulled over to help, at which point Webb tried carjacking him as well. Instead, the man fled in his pickup truck.
Webb allegedly shot at the fleeing driver, striking him in the arm.
The first deputy arrived at 6:34 p.m. where he came across Webb in the road with his gun. He was taken into custody shortly after.