DETROIT – A routine car repossession nearly turned deadly when a woman opened fire on the person taking her car back.
The shooting occurred on Detroit‘s east side and ended when police arrived and returned fire, hitting the woman.
Detroit police Chief Todd Bettison said the woman yelled something like, “You’re stealing my car,” before firing multiple shots.
This comes as Cox Automotive reports that car repossessions jumped 23% last year due to rising inflation.
Lavish Williams, a tow truck driver and repo man, said, “It’s a dangerous job. It’s definitely a dangerous job.”
If anyone knows just how unpredictable a repossession can be, it’s Williams of Lavish Towing Company.
Williams said, “You never know what to expect when you pull up to get a car. You know, you got a lot of tension, you got a lot of emotion, you got a lot of anger, a lot of frustration. You’re the bad guy at this point.”
Police say this unpredictability seems to have led to the woman getting shot when her vehicle was being repossessed.
Bettison said, “The car owner came and tried to stop possession. She said something to the effect of, ‘You’re stealing my car,’ and fired multiple shots at the repo man in his truck.”
The tow truck had its back window shot out, and police in the area witnessed the entire incident.
They instructed the gun-wielding woman to drop the weapon before having to shoot her multiple times.
Bettison said, “It could be a lot worse. I’m glad that our officers weren’t injured. I’m glad the repo man was unharmed, and of course, we’ll be submitting a warrant request to the Wayne County Prosecutor on this case.”
The woman is currently being treated in the hospital after being shot in the arm and leg.
The tow truck driver was unharmed but is understandably shaken up after an unforgettable day on the job.
Williams expressed empathy for both parties, saying, “I feel for him, but I also feel for the girl. The economy plays a factor in this. People aren’t able to pay their bills. A lot of emotions. You know, for people, their car is all they have. You take that away from them, and their life is pretty much over.”
Bettison said, “Having that job is a dangerous occupation, but you know, a person should never resort to violence over property.”
At that point, if your car is being repossessed, it’s best to simply let it go and try to work out an arrangement with your lender.
You can watch the full update from Bettison on this shooting in the video below: