Samuel Patrick Gartley, a 23-year-old White/Caucasian male, was fatally shot on June 5, 2023, during an attempted robbery at his workplace in Detroit, Michigan. An entrepreneur, Gartley had been working at the Russell Industrial Center, a space for artists, for about a year. The incident that led to his death unfolded when an individual attempted to rob him while he was on the job.
During the altercation, Gartley was able to return fire and injure his attacker before succumbing to his own wounds. Tragically, he was just two days away from what would have been his 24th birthday.
Following the shooting, the Detroit Police Department launched an investigation which quickly led to a suspect being taken into custody. The individual arrested was hospitalized due to the injuries sustained when Gartley defended himself. As of mid-June 2023, while an arrest had been made, formal charges had not yet been filed against the suspect, though a warrant had been submitted to the prosecutor's office.
Samuel's mother, Bobi Gartley, has publicly expressed her family's profound grief and frustration with the pace of the investigation and the limited information being shared by law enforcement. She has voiced her belief that more than one person was involved in her son's death and has called for the arrest of all responsible parties. The case remains an active investigation.
