The family of a Michigan woman who was shot to death outside a home where her family believes she was seeking help after a car accident is angry that the man who killed Renisha McBride is not behind bars.
"He shouldn't be free. He killed her," Detroit pastor W.J. Rideout told
ABCNews.com today after her funeral. "He shot her, whether it was
accidental or to commit murder or a crime."
McBride's family reached out to Rideout, who is also a civil and human rights activist, to speak on behalf of the family.
Renisha McBride, 19, was shot and killed early Saturday morning in Dearborn Heights, Mich.
McBride's family said they believe she was going door-to-door looking
for help after her car broke down and her cellphone was dead. They said
they believe she was shot as she was leaving the suspect's porch.
Rideout said her family is grieving.
"Until they hear that this man has been locked up and is being charged with the crime, the family is in pain," he said.
Police are releasing few details about McBride's death. Dearborn Heights
Lt. James Serwatowski said Thursday that she was shot in the head, but
said he could not give any more information because of the ongoing
investigation.
He said reports that McBride was shot in the back of the head while walking off the porch are "totally inaccurate."
Serwatowski did not respond to requests for comment today but told the
Detroit Free Press that the shooter told police he "believed the girl
was breaking into the home" and that the "gun discharged accidentally."
"It's very disheartening," pastor Rideout said of comments that the
shooting was an accident. "It's very sad to see that and to hear that.
"How do you accidentally shoot someone and pull the trigger and open the door and shoot someone?" he asked.
"If the door had been shut, then if he would have accidentally fired off
or discharged the weapon, then the bullet would have hit the door and
not Renisha McBride in her face, in her head," he said.
The lieutenant said a male suspect has been interviewed, but no arrest
has been made and information about the suspect or what he said cannot
be made public until the prosecutor reviews possible charges.
The Wayne County prosecutor's office refused to issue a warrant earlier this week.
"We were presented with a warrant request on Tuesday and we have asked
the police to do some further investigation on the case and until we
receive that work, we won't be able to continue and make a decision,"
Wayne County Prosecutor's Office spokeswoman Maria Miller told
ABCNews.com.
Rideout said he and the family are confident that the prosecutor will
act and they are more concerned that McBride's killer is free.
"My concern and the family's concern is that this man is out free and he
should be behind bars until whatever decision is going to be made," he
said.
Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office spokeswoman Mary Mazur said
McBride suffered a shotgun wound to the head and her death was ruled a
homicide.
"This is a senseless murder," pastor Rideout told ABCNews.com. "We will
not tolerate another Trayvon Martin, another Jonathan Ferrell. And here
we have Renisha McBride, the third African-American who didn't have a
weapon in her hand and didn't do anything to deserve being shot."
Rideout said McBride's family has been grateful for the outpouring of support.
"We're getting overwhelming support from all over the world. People are
hurting from Detroit to New York to Chicago to Alabama to St. Louis,"
he said.
"People are hurt because this 19-year-old young lady was shot down
viciously and defenselessly without a weapon in her hand and without
being an alleged criminal. She didn't do anything."
http://abcnews.go.com
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