Authorities in Michigan have arrested and brought charges against a 19-year-old woman accused of opening fire on four people and killing two of them during an altercation in front of a Foot Locker store in Eastpointe.
Per FOX 2 Detroit, the fatal May 3 incident occurred after two groups of people got into an altercation that later became physical. The individuals involved in the altercation knew each other, and two of them also sustained injuries from the shooting.
The suspect, identified as Lakylia Taylor, is said to have opened fire during the altercation. But her defense attorney, Randall Upshaw, claimed that Taylor opened fire because one of the victims attempted to kill her brother and was armed with a gun.
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“She didn’t know this individual. She had no beef with this individual,” Upshaw claimed. “But she’s crying out there watching her brother attempt to be murdered. At this point, she runs to the car and grabs what we believe to be her brother’s pistol.”
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And though Upshaw also claimed that Taylor acted in self-defense, the prosecutor’s office begged to differ.
“Miss Taylor is on video shooting the victims at point-blank range,” Macomb County Assistant Prosecutor, Kumar Palepu, argued. “She repeatedly fired at one of the victims while he was on the ground.
“There is no question she committed these crimes. This happened in broad daylight in a public shopping area lives were taken, and other innocent bystanders were at risk.”
Taylor has since been charged with second-degree murder, felony firearms, assault with attempt to do murder, tampering with evidence, and carrying a concealed weapon. Authorities also arrested her brother, identified as Dejuan Taylor, and charged him with tampering with evidence, FOX 2 Detroit reported.
Taylor’s bond was set at $2.5 million cash surety, and her next court appearance is set for May 20. “It’s a tragedy, two people lost their lives,” Det. Lt. Alexander Holish of the Eastpointe police said.
“Ultimately, Miss Taylor’s life is going to be altered forever whatever the outcome of the case.”
