Nineteen-year-old Juwan Alexander Plummer was arrested last week after shooting two Detroit police officers when he thought they were men attempting to burglarize his mother’s house.
In his arraignment video, a teary-eyed Plummer entered his not guilty plea before the judge, who in turn seemed sympathetic to Plummer after the prosecutor tried her best to paint him as someone who purposely shot the men knowing that they were cops.
“This case is very unfortunate and could have been much worse,” Wayne County prosecutor Kym Worthy said, according to ClickonDetroit. “We simply cannot and will not ignore the alleged actions of the defendant in this case. The victims could well have been a neighbor, or a small child. The lives of these officers, who were doing their jobs, will never be the same, and we must hold people accountable for their actions.”
Worthy not only asked for a high bond but also wanted Plummer to be placed under house arrest; both requests were denied by the judge. Worthy alleged that Plummer fired the gun without looking out the window and alleged that the officers identified themselves.
Plummer was at home with his mother and 14-year-old sibling at the time of the incident, and police state that previous burglary calls were made from the home.
“Several calls of a burglary were made to the Police Department on this date,” said Chief James Craig. “In fact, three calls were made. One of the individuals in the house, who we believe to be the 19-year-old male, fearing for the safety of his family, fired from inside the house, armed with a shotgun, striking both officers.”
Plummer was arraigned on two counts each of intentional discharge of a firearm in a building causing serious injury; intentional discharge of a firearm in a building causing injury and felonious assault. He has also been charged with four counts of felony firearm.
The gun belonged to his grandfather, who had given it to his mother as protection.
A judge set bond at $25,000. The judge did not impose house arrest or a GPS tether. Plummer will be back in court for a probable cause hearing April 26.
Read more at ClickonDetroit.