A Detroit man is charged with shooting two men because they were gay.
One of them was killed, the other critically wounded.
The Wayne County prosecutor says 26 year old Demetrius Nelson found the victims on the social media app Grindr, targeting gays. Nelson is also charged with robbing the two men.
Here is the statement by the prosecutor:
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy, with the assistance of the Fair Michigan Justice Project (FMJP), has charged Demetris* Nelson, 26 (DOB: 3/5/1993), of Detroit, in connection with the murder and assault of two gay Detroit men. Prosecutors charged Nelson with one count each of First Degree Murder, Felony Murder, Assault, with Intent to Murder, Assault with the Intent to Rob While Armed, and four counts Felony Firearm.**
It is alleged that, on July 6, 2019, Nelson shot and killed Brian Anderson, 31, and shot and critically wounded Malcolm Drake, 26, both of Detroit, during the course of an attempted robbery. Anderson and Drake were both gay men. Prosecutors alleged Nelson targeted Anderson and Drake because they were gay, and used the social networking app Grindr to locate the victims.
From July 6 to 8, 2019, an investigation by Detroit Police officers led to Nelson’s identification and arrest.
Prosecutor Worthy said, “The allegations are that social media contacts were used to target, contact, rob, fatally shoot one gay man, and seriously wound another gay man. To some this will be just another hateful and violent act in America. They will read about this case and continue to go about their day. To me, that is quite tragic.”
