DETROIT – A judge has ordered the clerk who locked the door inside the gas station on Detroit’s west side to stand trial on involuntary manslaughter charges.
A video was played during a hearing for that clerk, and it got heated. The judge says there really was no precedent for a case like this.
Security camera video from inside the Mobile on McNichols at 3 a.m., May 6, showed the excruciating 11-minute incident from start to finish.
Gas station clerk Al Hassan Aiyash argued with customer Samuel McCray when McCray’s Cash App card was declined for $3.80.
Three customers came in as the dispute was going on. The video showed Aiyash flip a switch and screaming at McCray that he was not going anywhere.
He locked the door and locked everyone in the shop.
As McCray got more irate, the three customers begged Aiyash to let them out.
The video then showed all three men being shot; Gregory Kelly was hit nine times and killed.
The other two customers that were shot but survived took the witness stand Tuesday (June 6).
Both men said the gunman told the clerk that he would shoot everyone unless the door was unlocked.
“He said he would shoot everyone if he did not unlock the door,” said one of the surviving victims.
“If you don’t open the door, I will kill everyone in here,” said the other survivor.
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Although pleas were shouted, the door remained locked before shots were fired.
Aiyash called 911. He did not say what was happening and only raged at the gunman.
“Put my stuff back, put my stuff back, put my stuff back,” said Aiyash during the altercation.
Prosecutors say Aiyash provoked the gunman.
Judge Kenneth King bound Aiyash over to stand trial.
“He continued to pour gasoline on the fire, and by some ways, he appeared as though he was mocking the shooter,” said King.
The whole ordeal was over a pack of doughnuts and an iced tea that was trying to be bought at the store for $3.80.