Four officers fired after police said a wanted U-Haul driver pointed a weapon toward them near I-75.
TAYLOR, MI — Taylor police shot and wounded a man Monday morning outside a Sheetz gas station after officers said he tried to flee in a U-Haul wanted in an Ohio aggravated armed robbery.
The shooting brought a large police response to the Sheetz in the 20600 block of Eureka Road, just off I-75, and closed off part of the parking lot while investigators marked evidence around the truck. Taylor Police Chief John Blair said the driver was wanted in connection with a robbery near Cleveland, and Michigan State Police took over the investigation because Taylor officers fired their weapons.
The encounter began around 11:40 a.m. Monday, when Taylor officers on patrol ran the license plate on a U-Haul pickup truck and learned it was wanted in connection with the Ohio case. Officers tried to stop the truck outside the Sheetz after police said the driver went into the store to buy food. Blair said the driver tried to leave but was boxed in by police and another parked vehicle. As officers approached, police said the U-Haul backed into a patrol car. “Four officers fired rounds at the suspect,” Blair said, adding that police believed the man was armed and posed a threat.
Police said the driver pointed a weapon toward officers before the four officers opened fire. The man was struck multiple times and taken to a local hospital. His name and age were not released Monday afternoon, and his condition was not known. A female passenger in the U-Haul was not hurt and was taken to the Taylor Police Department for questioning. Police said she also was wanted in connection with the Ohio aggravated armed robbery. No officers were injured. Investigators said at least some rounds entered the Sheetz building, but no customers or workers were reported hurt. Local news crews counted at least 29 evidence markers near the scene, and bullet holes were visible in the windshield of the U-Haul.
The Ohio robbery remained a key part of the investigation Monday, but police had not released full details about that case. Blair said the robbery happened near Cleveland and left one person in critical condition. Taylor officers had been in contact with Ohio authorities before the shooting, and police said license plate reader information helped identify the U-Haul. The shooting took place in a busy commercial area near Eureka Road and I-75, where gas stations, restaurants and highway traffic draw a steady flow of customers. The Sheetz parking lot was taped off after the gunfire, and dozens of officers were seen around the property as investigators worked.
The four Taylor officers who fired their weapons were placed on paid administrative leave, which police described as standard protocol after an officer-involved shooting. Michigan State Police will review the shooting and gather evidence, including weapons, shell casings, vehicle damage and any available video. The agency also is expected to interview officers, witnesses and the passenger in the U-Haul. Police did not say Monday whether charges had been filed in Michigan. Any charges tied to the Ohio robbery would be handled through the Ohio case, while prosecutors in Michigan could review conduct tied to the attempted stop and the confrontation outside the gas station.
Witnesses described a fast burst of gunfire in a place where many people had stopped for food, fuel or a break from the road. One man told a local station he was in the bathroom when he heard gunshots and glass breaking. Another man said he had been heading to eat with his two children and missed the gunfire by minutes. Ken Causey, who was near the scene, said the violence was unsettling. “You never know driving anywhere what might happen,” Causey said. “It’s a shame.” Police said the female passenger was not injured, and officers continued to hold the scene while state investigators documented the truck and the surrounding lot.
By Monday afternoon, the suspect remained hospitalized, the passenger remained in custody for questioning, and the Michigan State Police investigation was underway. Police had not released the suspect’s name, the officers’ names or the next expected update.
Author note: Last updated July 6, 2026.