Detroit, Michigan – Moad Mohamed Al-Gaham, a gas station clerk, has been sentenced to 20 to 50 years in prison for the second-degree murder of Anthony McNary, a 25-year-old man, following a heated dispute over beef jerky at an ExxonMobil station in Detroit.
The Dispute That Led to a Fatal Shooting
The tragic incident occurred on June 5, 2023, when Al-Gaham caught McNary stealing beef jerky from the store. After confronting McNary, Al-Gaham retrieved the jerky from McNary’s pockets and placed it back on the shelf. McNary offered to pay for the item, but Al-Gaham refused and forced him out of the store.
According to the surveillance footage, after McNary was pushed outside, Al-Gaham locked the doors to prevent him from returning. McNary was standing outside when Al-Gaham charged toward the store’s entrance with a gun in hand, aimed at McNary’s forehead, and shot him through the glass door.
McNary was rushed to a local hospital, but he was pronounced dead shortly after the incident. McNary was unarmed at the time of the shooting.
Previous Allegations and Lack of Gun License
Al-Gaham did not have a license for the gun used in the shooting. Authorities also investigated him for a previous shooting in 2022 in which he kicked a customer out of the store and then fired a shot after the customer allegedly got too close to his car.
Al-Gaham’s Apology and Sentencing
Before the judge issued the sentence, Al-Gaham spoke through a translator to apologize to McNary’s family. He said, “I apologize to the family. I apologize to the mother. I am very remorseful. I swear to God I have no plan to harm him.”
As his emotions got the better of him, Al-Gaham added, “My intention was to get him scared, to get him away. I have no idea how the bullet got out of the firearm. I see nightmares, every day, every night. I see him in my nightmares.”
Despite his apology, the judge chose a sentence within the guidelines, neither as lenient as the defense had requested nor as harsh as the prosecution had pushed for.
Reaction from McNary’s Family
Following the sentencing, McNary’s family expressed their gratitude for the verdict and sentence, though they emphasized that nothing could bring Anthony back.
The family released a statement saying, “We are grateful for the jury’s verdict and the judge’s sentence today of 20 to 50 years for Mr. Al-Gaham. Nothing will bring our Anthony back to us and we miss him so much, but today gives us some sense of justice.”
Attorneys representing McNary’s family condemned Al-Gaham’s actions, calling them “horrific” and a “complete disregard for the safety of our community.”
Lawsuit Filed Against ExxonMobil
In addition to the criminal charges, a $100 million lawsuit has been filed against ExxonMobil for the incident. The suit alleges that the company failed to ensure the safety of customers and employees at the gas station, where the shooting occurred.