A 20-year-old Pontiac man was killed, a woman was wounded and a 22-year-old Detroit man was taken into custody.
AUBURN HILLS, MI — A deadly shooting at Great Lakes Crossing Outlets began with an earlier altercation inside a food court bathroom, police said, before the people involved crossed paths again and fought near the mall’s dining area Saturday evening.
The shooting was reported at about 5:20 p.m. July 11 inside the Auburn Hills shopping center. Officers found a 20-year-old Pontiac man dead and a 19-year-old woman suffering from injuries that were not considered life-threatening. Police took a 22-year-old Detroit man into custody at the scene. Authorities said there was no continuing danger to shoppers or the surrounding community.
The family of the man who died identified him as KeShawn Emery. Relatives told WDIV-TV that Emery, who also went by NBA Key, had been at the mall’s food court with a cousin shortly before the gunfire. Police had not publicly released the injured woman’s name or described how she became involved in the shooting.
Auburn Hills Deputy Police Chief Scott McGraw said the man in custody and Emery had been involved in an altercation earlier in the day inside one of the mall’s bathrooms. Police said the two men later encountered each other again in the food court, where another fight began. The detained man told investigators that Emery and another unidentified man had jumped him before shots were fired, according to police.
That account remained part of an active investigation and had not been established as fact. Police had not announced any criminal charges as of Sunday, and the name of the detained man had not been released. Investigators were working to determine the full sequence of events and whether other people participated in the confrontation.
Officers were already working inside the mall when reports of gunfire came in, McGraw said. They reached the food court and located the detained man, who remained at the scene, cooperated with officers and was immediately taken into custody. Authorities also secured the area while emergency crews attended to the victims.
Witnesses described hearing multiple gunshots before shoppers rushed toward exits or took cover beneath tables. Demond Clayton told WDIV that he was eating in the food court when he heard the shots and saw the mall rapidly empty. Video from the scene showed a large police response and shoppers gathering outside after the evacuation.
Initial reports differed on the precise spot where Emery was found. Police described the violence as occurring in the food court area, while one report said officers found him inside a nearby clothing store close to the Rainforest Cafe. Authorities have consistently said the shooting followed the earlier confrontation and was not a random attack against mall visitors.
Great Lakes Crossing remained closed for the rest of Saturday while investigators processed the scene. Police asked witnesses and anyone with relevant recordings or other information to contact the Auburn Hills Police Department. Investigators said the case would be presented to prosecutors, who will decide whether charges are warranted.
Author note: Last updated July 12, 2026.