Death Dodged in Detroit Camera Car Shooting

Wrong Place, Wrong Time

Detroit, MI – February 12, 2024 – Getting distracted in the wrong place at the wrong time can you get killed. But one Detroit LPR camera car driver got lucky early Monday morning when approached by a gunman. His camera car, not so much.

There was no repossession in process, no LPR hit and no borrower. It was just after 5am on Monday the 12^th, when an anonymous camera car driver for Rockwood Recovery Inc. pulled over to check his map on the wrong side of town.

By the time he noticed, a man approached his driver side window, gun drawn.

Lucky for him, his fight or flight instincts kicked in. Wisely, he didn’t fight. He fled.

Death Dodged in Detroit Camera Car Shooting — Four rounds in the rear – Click to enlarge

Flooring it, he managed to make just enough distance between him and the gunman to avert getting hit by one of the four rounds fired into the back of his camera car.

After getting a safe distance away, the driver called 911 and the police arrived. The camera car was taken into impound as evidence. Police explained that they were going to dig the rounds that struck the car out of it to see if they matched those of any others identified in a crime.

Through residential gunfire spotter triangulation, police verified the location of the shooting.

Other than some serious doses of adrenaline mixed with a healthy dose of fear, the camera car driver was reported as suffering no injuries.

The shooter has not been publicly identified or arrested. Police suspect the obvious intent of the shooter as an attempted carjacking or robbery.

Editors Note: Situational awareness in the repossession industry is a life skill that must be adopted by all. Neither the front desk, the back lot, the camera car or the repossession truck are safe anymore and they never really were. These are dangerous times.

This story is very reminiscent of the murder of 43-year-old Tim Nielsen in Oakland, California in June 16, 2021. Tim was killed during an attempted robbery while he was typing an account update on his truck’s laptop. Repossession Agent Murdered in Oakland

Over the last couple of years we’ve seen camera car drivers shot and fired upon. Over half-a-dozen repossession agents killed and I can guarantee you that I don’t even report half of what’s going on out there.

Repossession volume is the highest in many years and times are getting tough. Everyone needs to stay alert. Danger can be anywhere.

This driver made a choice. It could have gone either way. He chose well and he got real damn lucky. The shooter was a crappy shot.

Bravo!

Kevin

Source: Jenny Liagre, Owner/Operator Rockwood Recovery Inc.