Exonerated Detroit ‘Santa shooter’ shares his story in new book

DETROIT – Before Christmas of 2014 Marcus Weldon, a gun owner with a concealed carry permit, pulled the trigger at a gas station on Detroit’s east side.

He said that moment turned his life into a nightmare. Marcus Weldon was at a Speedway gas station on Dec. 21 helping a friend change her tire when someone approached him.

“I was actually helping a young lady change a tire after work. We were dressed in Christmas outfits, hence the Santa shooter,” said Weldon.

He said a man came up to them and tried to start a fight with the lady. Weldon stepped in.

“I had my firearm, a fight broke out, I intervened. The gentleman was pushing the young lady and he went back to his car and got his firearm and we had a shootout at Speedway,” Weldon said.

The suspect fled the scene and Weldon was arrested.

“I got charged with seven felonies. Because of the Santa suit, because of the situation, it took its form of its own and my entire name was kind of destroyed for a moment,” Weldon said.

For the next year and three months, Weldon was in and out of courtrooms. He was trying to clear his name and tell his side of the story. Now, five years later, he was able to do that.

He released a book called “Surviving the System.”

“Just to get my feelings and emotions out, I had to write it in this journal and it became a book. I’m giving out really, really good solid points on how to survive the system. How to deal with the prosecutor. Just God, bringing me through. It’s a compelling story,” he said. “Talk about the trial, talk about the emotions of sitting in the Wayne County Jail.”

It’s a story he doesn’t wish on anybody else. But if somebody has to tell this story, Weldon said he’s glad it’s him.

You can purchase his book on amazon.com or marcusweldon.com.


About the Authors:

Kayla is a Web Producer for ClickOnDetroit. Before she joined the team in 2018 she worked at WILX in Lansing as a digital producer.