In a shocking turn of events following the Buccaneers-Lions game at Ford Field, the man who fired a fatal shot that claimed the lives of two individuals will not face any criminal charges according to Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy.
The unnamed shooter was deemed to have acted in self-defense when he shot 25-year-old Jalen Welch, whose tragic demise also resulted in the accidental death of 40-year-old Rayshawn Palmer. Despite Palmer’s intentions of trying to mediate the situation, the shooter was within his legal rights to defend himself against Welch, leading to the unfortunate chain of events that transpired.
Worthy expressed her sorrow at the tragic loss of life, particularly highlighting the innocence of Palmer in this devastating incident. She emphasized, “Perhaps the most heartbreaking of all is the fact that a completely and totally innocent bystander, Mr. Palmer was shot and killed with the same bullet that passed through the head of Mr. Welch. It could have been any one of us. We looked at all the applicable law and there is no crime that can be charged and proven beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Following the incident, organizers of the tailgating event where the shooting occurred have decided to cancel future tailgates for Lions games. They are collaborating with authorities to implement measures that would establish these events as “weapon-free zones” in an effort to prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future.
“It is absolutely tragic that during all the fun and merrymaking at a Lions tailgate that two lives were lost,” lamented Worthy, reflecting on the somber implications of what unfolded outside the stadium that fateful evening.
