Man grabs shotgun, takes bus to confront Facebook foe
A 22-year-old Detroit man has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor after a Facebook dispute prompted him to grab his shotgun, hop a bus, and confront the man with whom he’d argued.
When Christopher Lumpkin arrived Feb. 27 at his adversary’s home in the 8200 block of Evergreen on the city’s northwest side, prosecutors say he had a brief altercation with the 24-year-old — but Lumpkin didn’t use his shotgun, Assistant Wayne County Prosecutor Maria Miller said, “because it was dropped to the ground.”
Lumpkin was charged with brandishing a firearm in public, but prosecutors dropped that charge after Lumpkin pleaded guilty Monday to the lesser charge of possessing a loaded firearm in or upon a vehicle, a two-year misdemeanor. Lumpkin is scheduled to be sentenced April 27 before Wayne County Circuit Judge Dana Hathaway.
The incident was the latest crime sparked by a social media disagreement.
“This is something we’re aware of, and are concerned about,” Detroit Police Sgt. Adam Madera said. “(Police Chief James Craig) has spoken several times about conflict resolution, and the importance of people learning to resolve arguments nonviolently.”
People sometimes will say things on social media they might not say in person, Madera said. “There’s the protection of not being in front of that person they’re arguing with,” he said.
While Lumpkin’s social media argument did not end in bloodshed or gunshots, others did. In additon to dozens of cases nationwide, local incidents include:
■Reyfus Graves, 36, of Utah was arrested in Coldwater in February after he allegedly shot a man in April following a text messaging and Facebook argument. He was extradited from Michigan to Utah, where he faces attempted murder charges.
■In 2014, a Facebook argument prompted a group of girls and 23-year-old Donnie Everett to go to a Detroit woman’s house. A fight escalated into gunfire, and 3-year-old Amiracle Williams was killed. Everett was found guilty of second-degree murder and sentenced to 43 to 60 years in prison.
■Pontiac resident Torrie Emery in 2010 argued on Facebook with Alesha Abernathy. With her 3-year-old daughter in her car, Emery rammed her car into Abernathy’s vehicle. Abernathy tried to drive away, but was killed after her car hit a dump truck during the chase. Emery was convicted of second-degree murder, and sentenced to 18 to 60 years in prison.
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