Siblings charged in parking lot shooting that killed 2

EASTPOINTE — Tensions flared and a gun was fired during a dispute between two groups at a shopping mall, resulting in two deaths and felony charges against a brother and sister.

The incident occurred at around 2:45 p.m. Saturday, May 3, in the parking lot right outside the Foot Locker shoe store at Kelly and Eight Mile roads.

Two groups ran into each other, each with four people. According to police, an individual in one group — Dejuan Jermain Taylor, 21, of Detroit — had prior issues with the late younger brother of a person in the other group, Tyjaune Pierre Morris-Turner. As Taylor approached the Jeep containing Morris-Turner, Morris-Turner got out of the Jeep with a gun at his side, according to a press release from the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office.

An exchange of words led to pushing and punching as Taylor fought with Morris-Turner. Two of the people in Morris-Turner’s group, Juvan Maurice Newman and Steven Edward Gardin Jr., exited the Jeep to join the fight, according to the Prosecutor’s Office.

Taylor was overpowered, police said. He fell to the ground, and the group reportedly continued to pummel him.

Taylor’s sister — Lakylia Sheila Taylor, 19, of Detroit — allegedly retreated to her vehicle and retrieved a gun, which police said was unregistered.

She reportedly fired upon the group. First, police said, she shot Juvan Maurice Newman, who would later die from his wounds while being treated at a hospital. Newman had reportedly pinned her brother to the ground.

After Newman was shot, the Prosecutor’s Office said, Morris-Turner and Gardin Jr. tried to disengage from the fight, but Lakylia Sheila Taylor allegedly shot Gardin Jr., killing him at the scene. She then allegedly shot Morris-Turner, who was on the ground, which the Prosecutor’s Office said “seriously” injured him.

During the shooting, she also allegedly shot her brother by accident. Despite being wounded, Dejuan Jermain Taylor reportedly stood up and took the gun dropped by Morris-Turner, as well as magazines that were lying on the ground. He fled the scene with his sister and two others in his sister’s vehicle, according to police.

Later, someone took Dejuan Jermain Taylor to a nearby hospital for treatment. Police said they were able to piece together some of what happened by interviewing him.

Two days after the shooting, on May 5, Lakylia Sheila Taylor surrendered to police.

On May 6, Dejuan Jermain Taylor was arraigned in the 38th District Court in Eastpointe before Judge Kathleen Galen. He was charged with one count of tampering with evidence, a 10-year felony; one count of firearms larceny, a five-year felony; one count of carrying a concealed weapon, a five-year felony; and one count of larceny less than $200, a misdemeanor punishable by up to 93 days in jail.

His bond was set at $250,000 cash or surety. He was remanded into custody with the conditions that he must wear a steel-cuff GPS tether if his bond is posted.

He had no attorney on record at press time.

On May 8, Lakylia Sheila Taylor was arraigned in the 38th District Court, also before Galen.

She was charged with one count of second-degree murder in the killing of Gardin Jr. — a felony punishable by up to life in prison; one count of assault with intent to murder, also a potential life sentence, based on her actions toward Morris-Turner; one count of tampering with evidence, which is a 10-year felony; one count of carrying a concealed weapon, which is a five-year felony; and two counts of felony firearm that each carry a two-year mandatory prison sentence, served consecutively.

She was not charged in the killing of Newman, since the Prosecutor’s Office determined it to be a lawful act of defense.

Her bond was set at $2.5 million cash or surety. She was remanded into custody. She would also have to wear a steel-cuff GPS tether if she is released on bond.

Her attorney on record, Randall Upshaw, did not return a request for comment by press time.

Eastpointe Police Lt. Alexander Holish commented on how it’s a tragedy that could’ve been avoided.

“Obviously, there’s no need to fight like this over previous disagreements. And when it escalates to the point of shooting, it’s simply inexcusable. We’re lucky no one else got hit in the middle of a busy parking lot on a busy shopping day with innocent bystanders walking around with kids. It happened right near the entrance of the store, right in front. Luckily, no bullets entered the store. You also have the busy intersection nearby with cars traveling. Stray bullets can go through car doors and harm motorists,” Holish said. “Many more people could have been hurt.”

In a prepared statement, Macomb County Prosecutor Peter Lucido lamented the decisions that led to the violence and deaths.

“This was a senseless act of violence. Young lives are lost and ruined forever from this conduct. Self-defense of yourself and/or others is allowed, but street justice is never permissible,” Lucido stated. “The Prosecutor’s Office hopes this horrible event serves as a powerful reminder that such acts of violence will not be tolerated, and that lawful justice will be pursued to the fullest extent of the law.”

The prosecutor also noted that all individuals accused of a crime are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.