Firearms Owners Against Crime
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Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
Self-defense appears to have been the cause of gunfire that resulted in the death of a 21-year-old Shelby Township man, police officials said Thursday.
Christopher Cammarata was shot May 9 when a domestic disturbance at his family’s home on Glen Eagle Drive, near 21 Mile and Hayes roads, turned violent, township police said.
Officers initially were dispatched to the home on a call of family trouble. As officers headed to the scene, the report changed to one of gunfire.
Police found Cammarata wounded when they arrived. Shelby Township Fire Department paramedics transported him to a hospital where he died later that day.
Police Chief Robert Shelide said Thursday Cammarata had been laid off from his job at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and had been drinking heavily. He began arguing with his stepsister at the home and the dispute escalated late that afternoon to the point where the young man brandished a gun, police said.
During a struggle with his 27-year-old brother over the gun, the younger Cammarata was shot, police said.
Other family members were at the home at the time of the incident. None of them were injured, police said.
“Our investigation led us to believe he was going to attack (his) brother and his mother,” Shelby Township Deputy Police Chief Mark Coil said of the 21-year-old man.
The 27-year-old brother has cooperated with detectives throughout the investigation and was not arrested, police added.
Detectives assigned to the case hope to complete their investigation and present their findings to the Macomb County Prosecutors Office for review as soon as early next week. They don't anticipate criminal charges being filed, according to police.
Shelide believes the homicide is a tragic outcome of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s stay-at-home order for non-essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s because of the lockdown. Everyone’s going stir crazy. They’re doing more damage than good,” the chief told The Macomb Daily. “You can quote me.”
The fatal shooting shocked Henry Piechowski, a former security officer at Utica High School who had kept in touch with Christopher Cammarata following his graduation and remembered him as nice and respectful.
“He was a really respectful kid and was raised right by his parents,” Piechowski said.
According to an obituary notice, Cammarata was preceded by his father and is survived by his mother and siblings. A private service is planned for Friday. His family has asked that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be made to Capuchin Soup Kitchen or Forgotten Harvest. Wishes can be shared at sullivanfuneraldirectors.com.