Family rallies at Detroit gas station where man fatally shot by clerk

Group gathers at West McNichols Road gas station, where Derek Roberts was killed

DETROIT – A large group gathered Saturday at a gas station on West McNichols Road where Derek Roberts, 34, was killed by a gas station clerk.

Roberts' family was among the crowd.

"Derek was my brother. He was my only brother," Carnell Roberts Jr. said.

Carnell Roberts Jr. remembered the last conversation with his brother, Derek.

"I woke up that morning, called my mother and told her, 'Happy Mother's Day.' She said my brother was there. She passed the phone to my brother and my brother told me, 'Happy birthday,'" Carnell Roberts Jr. said.

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Derek Roberts worked as a truck driver.

"Derek was a good man, and he didn't deserve to go out this way," Carnell Roberts Sr. said. "He wouldn't want any violence associated with what happened to him and neither would the family."

Carnell Roberts Sr. spoke directly to young men.

"Just please think twice before you pull that trigger," Carnell Roberts Sr. said.

The rally included members of the church, police department, city council and a number of organizations.

"No one who is unarmed should be murdered because they said something that made somebody mad," said Alexander Bullock with Change Agent Consortium.

The family and the community don't want anyone to forget what happened to Derek Roberts almost one week ago and will continue to rally in his name.


About the Author:

Koco joined the Local 4 News team in September of 2016. She was born and raised in Metro Detroit, attended Central Michigan University, and previously worked at WOOD-TV in Grand Rapids.