Neighbor Shot Dead in Canton Township

CANTON, MI – Devereaux Christopher Johnson, 47, has been charged with the shooting death of his neighbor, Nathan Morris, 35, during a confrontation on Saturday morning in the 200 block of Cornell Street. Police received reports of the incident around 11:48 a.m. and found Morris in the street with a gunshot wound. Despite being rushed to a local hospital, he succumbed to his injuries shortly after arrival. Following the shooting, Johnson barricaded himself inside his home but later surrendered to law enforcement. An autopsy confirmed that Morris died from multiple gunshot wounds. Canton Police Chief Chad Baugh condemned the act as "senseless violence" and extended condolences to Morris's family and neighbors who witnessed the tragic event. Morris, a husband and father of two, was actively involved in his community, serving as the secretary for the 6th Congressional District Republican Committee. He worked as an engineer at Ford Motors and became politically active in response to the company's COVID-19 vaccine mandate, even running for a position on the Canton School Board to advocate for the safety of his daughters. Johnson is currently being held without bond, with authorities labeling him a flight risk due to his family connections in Indiana and Chicago, as well as his travel history to Vietnam. Notably, Johnson has a prior conviction for sexual assault in Nevada from 2005 and is listed on the Michigan Sex Offender Registry.