OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. – An Oakland County gun charge has become a Second Amendment battle with the prosecutor’s office.
Isaiah Ware pulled a gun from its holster inside a Kroger store to fend off a physical altercation inside at Long Lake and Telegraph roads in Bloomfield Hills on Thursday (Oct. 5) at 5:30 p.m.
The Oakland County prosecutor’s office charged him with felony assault with a deadly weapon after the incident.
Ware said he went to the grocery store to buy some lasagna for dinner when he bumped into another guy at the self-checkout.
Officials say both men exchanged words. Then it gets ugly quickly, and Ware, who is a CPL holder, pulls out his weapon.
That’s how he ended up arrested, but his attorney says the case should never have come to court.
Store security cameras showed concealed pistol licensee Ware bumping into Calvin Williams, who wore a lime green shirt.
Ware pulled out the gun with his right arm rising from his holster. His defense attorney, Neal Brand, said he made no threatening motions.
“He didn’t make any threatening motions with that weapon,” said Brand.
As seen in the video, Ware walked away from Williams, his gun in his right hand with a bottle of Windex and his dinner in the other. He watched Williams as they parted.
“That ended the threat, and that ended the problem,” Brand said.
It’s where Ware’s legal problems started as another shopper called the Bloomfield Township Police Department. Their body camera video showed Williams’ account of the situation.
“He didn’t point, but he pulled it where there were customers and people around here,” said Williams.
Bloomfield Township police arrested Ware, and the prosecutor’s office charged him with assault with a deadly weapon.
“He defended himself, and what’s going on now is an assault on the Second Amendment for lawful citizens who are looking to defend themselves,” Brand said.
Brand released more body camera video where Williams told police that he would’ve slammed Ware to the ground.
“To be honest, if he wouldn’t have had the gun on him, I would have slammed him to the ground right there,” Williams said.
“My client shouldn’t be charged with a crime,” Brand said. “The people in Oakland County, the prosectuor should apologize and dismiss this case.”
The Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office made an official statement to Local 4.
“Our number one priority is public safety. This case stems from an incident inside a grocery store where a witness called 911 and reported that a customer pulled a gun on another customer. The Bloomfield Township police responded immediately, investigated, and brought the case to our office for charges.
“Because this case remains pending, we will not comment further on the specific circumstances, but we take such cases very seriously, and we will continue to pursue appropriate charges.”
Oakland County Chief Assisting Prosecuting Attorney David Williams
The incident goes to trial on Monday (June 17).