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Pastor shot to death while at Detroit bank drive-thru

Witnesses say gunman shot through passenger's window, then pulled victim out of car

DETROITAt about 9:45 a.m. Friday, James Blade, a pastor in his community, pulled into the Charter One Bank drive-thru on East Warren near Outer Drive on Detroit's east side.

While he was parked, someone else was watching his every move.

Anthony Walker was just feet away when the shots were fired at this pink BMW.

"We seen a guy walk up on the passenger's side of this (pink BMW) and he shot him six times, walked over the driver's side, grabbed him out, reached in his pockets and ran on up the street," said Walker.

Walker says the shooter was bold, firing off a round of shots near a busy road and with bank security cameras rolling. The robber even pistol-whipped the victim after he shot him.

"I was very surprised. This is daylight and he's doing something like this," said Walker.

About 1/2 an hour before this incident police were called to a strip mall on Gratiot Avenue near 7 Mile Road where a retired Wayne County Sheriff's deputy was robbed after stopping at a credit union. Shots were fired but the female victim was not hurt.

Police are investigating if those robberies are connected.

No description found

"We're still working both scenes. We're going to try to get both individuals in custody, if they are separate individuals, and if they're the same person we're going to let you know that also," said Captain Charles Mahone, with Detroit police.

Blade's sister just wants to know why her brother was killed over money.
"If you're that desperate, get a job. There's things out here that you can do without going around robbing people, you know, hurting innocent people. He's hurt a lot of people," said Blade's sister, Evelyn Cross.


-- James Blade