Leaked footage reveals chaotic scene before Detroit gas station shooting

Video footage of a deadly May 6 triple-shooting inside a Detroit gas station offers a clearer picture of the chaotic scene that led to criminal charges against a gas station clerk in addition to the shooting suspect, and a lawsuit against the business.

The incident, which left one man dead and two injured, has also led to calls for new laws regulating the locking of doors in Detroit gas stations.

More: Detroit gas station shooting victims were locked inside, prosecutors say

While police and attorneys have reviewed footage from multiple cameras at the gas station, authorities have not released the recordings to the public.

One recording was leaked via Instagram, and footage from multiple additional angles was reviewed by the Detroit Free Press.

The footage reveals that the suspect, Samuel McCray, 27, was at a heightened level of agitation for several minutes, continuously screaming threats, throwing items across the store, kicking doors, and angrily pacing around the business.

He screamed threats not only to the clerk, but to Gregory Karlos Fortner-Kelly, 37, the man he's accused of killing.

McCray was charged with first-degree murder, along with felonious assault and firearm offenses. The clerk, Al-Hassan Aiyash, 22, was later charged with involuntary manslaughter for locking the victims inside in an attempt to prevent theft as the suspect threatened violence.

The video reviewed by the Free Press starts around 3:05 a.m. May 6 at the Mobil gas station on West McNichols, near the Lodge Freeway. By then, McCray is already yelling at Aiyash over items prosecutors say he attempted to steal after his credit card was declined.

The items totaled less than $4.

More: Charging gas station clerk who locked doors in Detroit shooting a stretch, lawyer argues

Fortner-Kelly and his best friend, David Langston, 37, are behind McCray. They appear to be waiting in line to check out.

"I'll kill you, come out here and get your brains on the floor," McCray yells at Aiyash. He repeatedly threatens to kill the clerk.

"I'll take this sh**, I will," he screams, referring to items inside the gas station.

At some point during the yelling, the clerk can be heard saying "you ain't taking sh**" and "your card declined." Audio other than McCray's voice is difficult to hear due to the suspect's constant screaming.

Right before 3:06 a.m., McCray attempts to open the door to the gas station and discovers he's locked in.

"Let me out the store or you get killed," McCray screams to Aiyash.

Another patron in the store, Anthony Bowden, who filed a lawsuit against the owners of the gas station earlier this week, attempts to leave but can't. Fortner-Kelly and Langston approach the counter, appearing to reason with the clerk. At some points in the video, Fortner-Kelly appears to attempt to reason with McCray as well.

More: Detroit gas station sued over locked doors in triple-shooting

Meanwhile, Aiyash is on the phone with police, which agitates McCray further.

McCray tries to kick down the door to the gas station around 3:07 a.m. He continues screaming, clearly enraged.

McCray throws an item at Fortner-Kelly about 3:08 a.m., who was speaking to Aiyash at the counter. That's when the two first appear to argue, then Fortner-Kelly and Langston go back to talking with the clerk.

About 3:09 a.m., Aiyash unlocks the door. He is seen in the video pushing a button that electronically unlocks the gas station doors.

From behind protective glass, Aiyash repeatedly says "get the f*** on" and shoos patrons away with his hand. McCray is still screaming inside the station.

Fortner-Kelly and Langston turn away from the counter, appearing to face the door.

But then McCray gets in front of Fortner-Kelly. It's nearly 3:10 a.m.

McCray says to Fortner-Kelly, "Call me a b**** and you're going to get one in your head."

Fortner-Kelly appears angry. He asks, "What?"Seconds later, McCray pulls out his weapon and unloads his gun. First at Fortner-Kelly and Langston, who leave the video frame after being shot. Then he shoots at Bowden, who is next to the counter.

Then, McCray turns back toward where Fortner-Kelly and Langston left the frame, and shoots more rounds toward them.

Only about 15 seconds pass between the moment Aiyash unlocks the doors and McCray opening fire.

Aiyash takes shelter in the bathroom. He comes back out shortly afterward to get his phone and call the police.

After unloading his gun at innocent patrons, McCray flees the scene, but not before quickly grabbing items from the store.

Prosecutors say his mother and her boyfriend drove him to his mother's home. His sister picked him up, he slept at her house, and then later left to have a sex with a woman in a hotel, according to prosecutors.

Andrea Sahouri covers criminal justice for the Detroit Free Press. She can be contacted at 313-264-0442, asahouri@freepress.com or on Twitter @andreamsahouri.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit gas station triple-shooting videos reveal chaotic scene