Warren man charged in fatal shooting of Detroit co-worker

A Warren man accused of fatally shooting a co-worker at a Detroit factory last weekend has been charged, officials said.

Johnathan Leeaveret Williams, 31, was arraigned Wednesday in 36th District Court in Detroit, the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office said. He is charged with second-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.

A judge ordered Williams held without bail and scheduled his next court hearing for next Wednesday.

If convicted, he could face life in prison.

An attorney for Williams could not immediately be reached for comment Thursday.

Authorities allege the defendant shot and killed 31-year-old Harmond Ulmer of Detroit on Sunday in an industrial area on the city’s west side.

Police said officers were called to the 12600 block of Artesian Street, near Interstate 96 and the Southfield Freeway, around 11:30 p.m. Sunday for a report of a shooting.

They arrived to find Ulmer’s vehicle had crashed into a telephone pole and the victim was inside suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, officials said.

According to investigators, paramedics arrived and pronounced the victim dead.

Investigators believe Williams and Ulmer got into an argument that escalated until the defendant produced a handgun and shot the victim multiple times, fatally wounding him.

Media reports on Monday said the shooting stemmed from a dispute over a food delivery. They also said the shooting occurred between a factory security guard and a delivery man.

Representatives from the Wayne County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed the victim was Ulmer.

According to Detroit Police Department statistics, there were 38 murders in Detroit in the first quarter of 2024.

There were 141 homicides as of Aug. 30, down from 180 the previous year, when Detroit recorded its lowest number of homicides since 1966, according to Detroit police statistics.

According to DPD, aggravated assaults fell 8.3% this year, while overall violent crime fell 10.7% compared to the same period in 2023.

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@CharlesERamirez