A Detroit woman was killed early Saturday morning while presumably asking for help after her car broke down and her cell phone died. Renisha McBride, 19, was shot in the head with a shotgun on the front porch of a house in Dearborn Heights while, according to her family, seeking help after a car accident. They claim that McBride, an African-American, was a victim of racial profiling.Police have identified the man who fired the shot but have not released his identity. On Wednesday, they asked the county prosecutor to issue a warrant for his arrest, but the prosecutor sent it back, with a spokesperson stating, "We have requested further investigation by the police that must be submitted to our office before a decision will be made."
Neighbors told a local FOX affiliate that officers on the scene said that the shooter believed someone was trying to force their way into the home and got nervous.
As Gawker notes, Michigan has self-defense legislation similar to Florida's controversial "stand your ground" law, which was frequently brought up surrounding the George Zimmerman-Trayvon Martin trial, and the incident bears resemblance to an incident in Charlotte, North Carolina, in mid-September, in which a man seeking assistance was shot and killed by police.