91-year-old man fights back, shooting suspected armed robber in neck

An elderly shopper pulls out his gun and fires in a Rite-Aid parking lot.

The 91-year-old told police he thought he was about to be robbed by a man who followed him from his car toward the store. That shopper is 91-years old and he says he gave that man a warning -- before he shot him. Now the suspected robber is in custody.

Likely just another morning for the elderly Eastpointe man who stopped by this Rite-Aid store at Gratiot and Nine Mile Monday.

"He was trying to get into the store when he was approached by the suspect," said Deputy Chief Eric Keiser, Eastpointe police.

Eastpointe police say the 91-year-old man felt uneasy as the suspect began acting erratically. That's when police say the elderly man told the 30-year-old suspect -- who pointed some sort of weapon at him -- that he had a license to carry.

"The person who fired the shots had a CPL and was lawfully carrying a handgun," said Keiser. "He said he defended himself when he was attacked."

Firing one shot and hitting the suspect in the neck, police say the suspect ran off. Eastpointe police say the wounded suspect ran toward this parking lot across the street and with the help of dozens of witnesses -- police were able to quickly track him down.

Eastpointe police say that suspect is still in the hospital and has not been cooperative with police.

"The person who fired the shots is not under arrest and he's cooperating with the investigation," Keiser said.

Police say no weapon was recovered -- except for the elderly man's gun. As that suspect is likely to be arraigned Tuesday. Right now, police say it appears that 91-year-old man acted in self-defense.

"The investigation is ongoing - and we're consulting with the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office to make sure that he did act in self-defense and was legal in what he did."