Detroit gas station clerk who fatally shot teen acted in self-defense, prosecutor says

A Detroit gas station clerk who fatally shot a teenager over the weekend acted in self-defense, WJBK-TV reported, citing the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office.

What are the details?

The prosecutor's office said Yaqoub Nagi, 17, walked into a gas station in the 9100 block of Dearborn Street just after 1:05 a.m. Saturday and walked behind the counter, the station reported.

Authorities said Nagi was holding an object with his hands together and pointing as if he was holding a handgun, WJBK noted, adding that the clerk confronted and fired at Nagi multiple times, killing him.

Police found Nagi lying inside the gas station behind the door to the front counter with gunshot wounds to his upper body, the Detroit News reported, citing prosecutors. The paper added that Nagi was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police said a gas station employee was arrested, according to an initial WJBK story.

But prosecutor Kym Worthy said the clerk was defending himself under Michigan law, the station reported.

"Last summer, there were a series of shootings at Detroit gas stations — some of them resulted in a loss of life," Worthy said, according to WJBK. "This case is yet another deadly shooting in a gas station, but the facts are very different. The evidence in this case shows that the actions of the store clerk were in lawful self-defense, and as a result this office will not be charging him with any crime."

Michigan law states that anyone who is not committing a crime can use deadly force against someone if the individual has a legal right to be there and believes deadly force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to themselves or another person, the Detroit News said.

Prosecutors did not release the clerk's name because he was not charged, the News added.

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