Woman dead after shootout with brother in Sterling Heights

STERLING HTS, Mich. (FOX 2) - A woman was killed Friday morning after a shootout with her brother at a Sterling Heights business that the two co-owned after some sort of dispute.

The family of Rita Evans and Zachary Holston III are reeling Friday after police said the two got into a shootout, with Holston eventually killing his own sister.

"From what we understand this is a dispute over a business between a brother and a sister in the mix of the dispute they both pull out firearms and multiple shots are fired and female was struck," said Sterling Heights Public Information Officer Lt. Mario Bastianelli.

According to police, it happened around 9 a.m. at their business, Kath Khemicals, which makes soap and different chemicals.

Family members identified the victim as Evans, 54. She was pronounced dead at the hospital. Holston was not injured and is being interviewed by police. 

"I have to point the finger at my nephew who did the shooting I won’t say he’s an excellent marksman but he is very good with a gun so if he wanted to stop or wound his sister he could have done that he didn’t have to kill his sister," their aunt said.

As police investigate, they are still determining if Holston will be charged or if it was a case of self-defense. Police say they are looking at surveillance video and other evidence to send to the prosecutor’s office.

"Whether it was self-defense, or whether it wasn’t these things are going to be figured out," Bastianelli said.