Police said the suspect was arrested after a brief chase on the west side.
DETROIT, MI — A man was beaten and repeatedly run over with his own vehicle during what police described as a vicious, random carjacking at a Detroit gas station early Tuesday, and a 25-year-old suspect was taken into custody after a short pursuit, authorities said.
The killing shook a west-side neighborhood where workers and regular customers said the victim stopped almost daily and was known as someone who helped others. Investigators said the attack unfolded in minutes as the victim returned to his vehicle after going inside the station. Police had not released the victim’s name by Wednesday, and prosecutors had not publicly announced charges, but investigators said they were preparing their case as the suspect remained in custody.
Police said the assault happened at a Sunoco station near Joy Road and Greenfield Road, a busy corridor on Detroit’s west side. Investigators said the victim arrived to get gas and went into the convenience store. When he came back outside, police said, he found a man inside his vehicle. Detroit Police Capt. Marcus Thirlkill said the suspect got out and attacked the victim, then climbed back into the vehicle and drove over him multiple times. “This was a deliberate attempt,” Thirlkill said during a police briefing, adding that investigators believed the victim was targeted at random. Officers pronounced the man dead at the scene, police said.
Authorities said the suspect fled in the victim’s vehicle and was located a short time later not far from the gas station. Michigan State Police said troopers tried to stop the vehicle near another gas station along Greenfield Road and attempted to box it in, but the driver sped off, triggering a brief chase. Police said the pursuit ended near the intersection of Warren Avenue and Greenfield Road after the suspect struck a Dearborn police vehicle, lost control and hit a telephone pole. Officers arrested the suspect after the crash and turned him over to Detroit police investigators, officials said. First Lt. Mike Shaw of the Michigan State Police said in a statement posted online that troopers and Dearborn officers helped take the suspect into custody and that additional charges related to the pursuit and damage to patrol cars were expected.
Investigators said they were still piecing together what led up to the attack and why the suspect climbed into the victim’s vehicle. Police said they had not confirmed whether the suspect and victim knew each other, and authorities said they did not yet have a motive. The victim was described by police as a man in his 60s. Witnesses told local reporters they were stunned by how violent the encounter was and how quickly it unfolded. A nearby resident who identified herself as Winter told a local station the scene was “nerve-wracking” because she lives close to the gas station and said it was “very traumatizing” to see something like that happen in her neighborhood. Police said they were interviewing witnesses, reviewing surveillance video and working to confirm the timeline of events at the station.
By Tuesday afternoon and into Wednesday, the gas station became a gathering point for regular customers and neighbors trying to make sense of what happened. Local 4 reported that workers inside the store told people who came in that the victim had been a daily regular. A customer who goes by Preech said he knew the man and described him as older and quick to help. “It was sadness, you know what I’m saying, like, surprised, but damn near angry,” Preech said, explaining why the death hit him hard. He said the victim once spoke with him during a difficult moment and that the conversation stayed with him. Other customers said they had seen the victim at the station often and considered it a routine, familiar stop along their commute.
Police and prosecutors had not announced formal charges publicly as of Wednesday, and authorities said the case was still in early stages. Investigators said they were waiting for additional reports and evidence review before filing, including the medical examiner’s findings and a complete set of witness statements. The Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office had been contacted about possible charges, and police said they expected an arraignment after prosecutors authorize a criminal complaint. Officials also said the suspect could face separate allegations tied to the chase and the crash involving patrol vehicles. Thirlkill said officers from Detroit, Michigan State Police and Dearborn moved quickly to locate the suspect and end the pursuit, calling the arrest an important step in the investigation.
At the scene, the aftermath lingered in small details that made the violence feel personal: a busy corner station, a daily routine interrupted, and a vehicle police said was used as a weapon against its owner. People who frequent the station said they now think about how ordinary the morning appeared before it turned deadly. A Detroit resident named Michael told FOX 2 he was heartbroken for the victim’s family and said he often stops at the same station after work. “It’s a tragedy,” he said, adding that he had thought the location was safe. Police said investigators would continue canvassing the area and collecting video from nearby businesses as they work to clarify the moments before the assault and confirm the suspect’s movements after fleeing the scene.
Authorities said the suspect remained in custody Wednesday as detectives completed interviews and forwarded evidence for a charging decision. Police said the next milestone would be a prosecutor review and an arraignment once charges are authorized.
Author note: Last updated February 11, 2026.