DETROIT – A Wayne County Circuit Court judge has sentenced Amir Patterson, known by the street name “Rouge Reaper”, to 75 years in prison for the murder of Arab American activist Bushra Mawry, who was shot and killed more than two years ago inside an apartment in Westland while visiting a friend and a co-worker.

According to prosecutors, Patterson, 31, murdered Mawry, 36, out of anger after a friend of her that she was visiting and was an ex-girlfriend of Patterson “failed to give him the attention he wanted” following a violent outburst by him that ended in tragedy. Mawry, a resident of Dearborn Heights, was the mother of a now-14-year-old boy. Her family said she had been visiting a co-worker’s apartment when the shooting occurred; another person with them was also wounded.

According to the family of Mawry, the ex-girlfriend of Patterson came to court and was fully cooperative with the police throughout the trial, confirming the true nature of the events that took place.

During an emotional and highly charged court session on Friday, October 3, Wayne County Circuit Court Judge John Gillis struggled to hold back tears as he sentenced Patterson, who had been convicted of breaking into a Westland home in June 2023 and opening fire on the Yemeni American activist. Mawry died shortly after being transported to a local hospital, while a 32-year-old man from Romulus who was with her survived with injuries.

Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Dominic James DeGrazia recounted the chilling details of the crime, explaining that Patterson fired indiscriminately as Mawry tried to flee for her life.

“Tragically, Ms. Mawry was running in terror while the defendant was shooting at anyone who came into his line of sight,” DeGrazia said.

Police arrested Patterson without resistance seven days after the shooting. He was charged with first-degree murder, assault with intent to murder, first-degree home invasion and three firearm-related felonies, including felon in possession of a firearm, as he was a convicted felon.

During sentencing, prosecutors detailed Patterson’s violent history. His criminal record dates back to 2014; in 2016 he pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and was imprisoned, later released on parole in early 2023 — just months before Mawry’s killing.

The late Bushra Mawry with her only son.

The courtroom was filled with grief and tension. Mawry’s sisters demanded the harshest penalty, one of them addressing Patterson directly through tears:

“You violated us… you stole from us a rare, kind, pure soul, full of love.”

The statement moved Judge Gillis to tears. Throughout the hearing, Patterson remained silent — until a moment of chaos when Mawry’s brother threw a water bottle at him. Patterson smirked.

“Shut up… I didn’t kill your sister,” he said.

That prompted security officers to remove the distraught brother and restore order.

Prosecutors told the court that many witnesses were afraid to testify against Patterson “because they knew his reputation and how dangerous he was.” The prosecution sought a sentence of 75 to 100 years, citing his reckless and violent history.

The defense attempted to mitigate Patterson’s actions by referencing a troubled childhood and submitted a written apology from him.

But Judge Gillis, visibly shaken by the family’s statements, addressed them compassionately.

“I am sorry there is so much evil in this world.”

He then turned to Patterson.

“Mr. Patterson, for the charge of second-degree murder — the murder of Bushra Mawry — I sentence you to 75 years, and possibly life in prison.”

Mawry’s family expressed satisfaction with the ruling, calling it a “partial realization of justice.” Patterson’s family was seen crying as they left the courtroom.

“Mercy for the guilty is a crime against the innocent,” Mawry’s sister said in court.

Bushra Mawry was well-known in the local Arab American community for her humanitarian work. She founded the non-profit “Hand in Hand for Yemen”, which provided relief to victims of Yemen’s humanitarian crisis. Her family said her mission was to save Yemeni children from hunger and death, adding that she “believed it was her duty to give the poor a reason to hope.”