CANTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. – Nathan Morris, 35, was shot and killed in his own neighborhood this past Saturday on Cornell Street in Canton Township.
The person who allegedly pulled the trigger was 47-year-old Devereaux Christopher Johnson.
“It’s a terrible tragedy,” said Marcus Carlson, Morris’ pastor. “You know, the world is not as it should be. Sometimes, we get caught up in all these details and forget that there is, you know, a wife and a mother and two little girls without a father.”
Carlson is the pastor of St. Michael Lutheran Church of Canton, the cathedral Morris attended with his family.
He says the father of two was an amazing human being. Now, he’s trying to help Morris’ family as much as possible.
“As a dad, I’m just thinking about the family, and so for me, certainly a shock, and I was out of state at the time, so then making arrangements to get back up here and be with the congregation yesterday because this is obviously significant for us and for them.”
The cause of the dispute between Johnson and Morris is unknown. However, neighbors say the two allegedly had issues for months that came to a deadly head.
Johnson is now facing multiple charges as a result, including first-degree murder and felony firearm.
“Count one homicide, murder in the first degree. Premeditated that’s a felony carrying up to life without parole. Count two weapons firearm possession by a felon is a five-year felony. Counts three and four are weapons felony firearm. Both are two-year felonies,” said a judge.
“The justice system is never perfect,” Carlson said. “No system is perfect, but you got to let that do its process, right? And so, for me, I’m not focused on that. The family is not focused on that. What is most important right now is caring for these people and caring for the, you know, his wife.”
Click here if you would like to help the church out with helping the family.