61-year-old man shoots teenager trying to steal his gun on Detroit's west side

Darius Summers shoots teenage boy in stomach during attempted robbery

DETROIT – A robbery attempt in Detroit backfired when a teenager picked the wrong man to mess with and quickly learned he wasn't the only person armed.

Darius Summers is a mild-mannered musician in Detroit who just turned 61 years old this week. He also recently received his license to carry a concealed weapon.

"I'd never been through this," Summers said. "Never shot a gun before. All this is new to me."

On Sunday morning near his home on Detroit's west side, Summers was at a gas station.

"I just wanted some coffee, so I walked down here," Summers said.

He said a 16-year-old boy armed with a gun saw that Summers was also armed, and the teen tried to take his weapon. He stuck his gun in Summers' back, thinking he was an older, easier target.

"I said, 'All I want to do is leave,'" Summers said. "He said, 'You can't leave.' I said, 'OK. What do you want to do?'"

Summers said the teen was controlling him, but then the 61-year-old man pulled out his own gun and shot the boy in the stomach. The teen picked up the gun that he dropped and limped out of the store.

Summers said there's no way he was going to let an armed 16-year-old make him a victim.

"I didn't shoot to kill, I shot to save his life," Summers said. "I got him up off me."

Summers is a grandfather, and he tried to talk to the teen as a grandfather.

Xavier Futrell was arrested and charged with assault with intent to murder, carrying a weapon with unlawful intent and a felony firearms violation.


About the Authors:

Local 4 Defender Shawn Ley is an Emmy award-winning journalist who has been with Local 4 News for more than a decade.

Derick is the Lead Digital Editor for ClickOnDetroit and has been with Local 4 News since April 2013. Derick specializes in breaking news, crime and local sports.