In the spring of 2023, the life of Dashawn Anthony Skinner, a 27-year-old Black man, came to a sudden and violent end in Saginaw, Michigan. On the evening of May 10th, events unfolded inside a residence in the 3400 block of Brookwood Lane North that would leave one person dead and another claiming a life was taken in self-preservation. An argument had reportedly escalated, leading to a physical altercation.
A 911 call was placed by an individual at the residence who admitted to shooting Skinner. The caller informed authorities that the shooting occurred during a domestic assault. According to the caller's account, Skinner had been physically assaulting and choking them. In a desperate attempt to stop the attack, the individual retrieved a firearm and issued a warning to Skinner to cease his actions. When the assault continued, the individual fired a single shot. Skinner then fled from the home before collapsing from his injury. He was transported to a local hospital where he ultimately succumbed to the gunshot wound.
The person who fired the shot remained at the scene and cooperated fully with the ensuing police investigation. Law enforcement officials conducted a thorough inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the shooting. They gathered forensic evidence from the scene and reviewed the findings of the official autopsy report. This evidence was then presented to the Saginaw County Prosecutor's Office for review.
After careful consideration of all the available information, prosecutors determined that the shooting was an act of self-defense. They concluded that the homicide was justifiable under the law and, as a result, no criminal charges were filed against the individual who shot Dashawn Anthony Skinner. Citing the decision not to charge, authorities did not publicly release the name of the shooter.
