CANTON — A resident of Canton Township was shot and killed during a confrontation with a neighbor, reports state. 

The Michigan GOP identified him as Nathan Morris, 35. In a statement released by the RNC National Committeewoman Hima Kolanagireddy, shared on the Michigan GOP’s X account, Morris was taking a walk in his neighborhood with his family and his daughter touched the mulch of one of the neighbors. 

Part of the statement reads:

“Nathan Morris was a friend, a fellow patriot, a strong Christian, a wonderful husband to Becky and a great dad to Molly and Zoey. He was an engineer at Ford Motors and got involved  in politics when Ford mandated COVID-19 vaccines. He ran for Canton School Board to make schools safe for his daughters. I worked closely with him as the former chair of the MI-6th CDRC, and as the member of the Wayne 6th CDRC, of which he was the secretary. 

On Saturday, while taking a stroll with his family in his neighborhood, his daughter touched the mulch of of one of the neighbors. The neighbor took a gun out and started threatening the family. Nathan sent his family home and said that he would try and diffuse the situation, but instead was shot and killed. 

Nathan is one of those few guys who are near perfect. He would do no harm and think no harm. He is just an amazing and gentle soul. He will be missed dearly. 

This is a senseless act of violence, and his two young daughters will grow up without a father.”

According to reports, police responded to the scene after receiving calls of a confrontation that led to a shooting. Upon their arrival, Morris, who was unarmed, was found in the street with a gunshot wound. Taken to a nearby hospital, Morris succumbed to his wounds.

Devereaux Christopher Johnson. Photo: Fox 2 Detroit

The suspect, Devereaux Christopher Johnson, 47, barricaded himself in his home, police report state, before surrendering to the police and their commands. 

Johnson, currently in police custody, was charged with first-degree murder and various other felonies, reports state. A plea of not guilty was entered on his behalf and a competency exam was requested by a judge to assess his mental state.

A friend of the victim, Edward McCall, shared his thoughts in a Fox 2 Detroit report.

“I think it’s monstrous,” McCall said. “The triviality of it is just completely shocking to me. I’ve seen the movies. I’ve heard the songs over the years, decades of just people being killed for trivial reasons, and this is the bottom of the bottom for me.”