Detroit pastor Marvin Winans assaulted, carjacked

Popular Detroit pastor and gospel singer Marvin Winans was assaulted and carjacked Wednesday afternoon at a gas station on the city's west side.

The attack happened about 3:20 p.m., and the suspects fled with an unknown amount of cash and Winans’ SUV, police said.

Winans, 54, told WXYZ-TV that four or five young men followed him from inside the gas station and attacked him while he gassed up his vehicle.

Winans said he didn't believe he was seriously hurt, but planned to seek medical attention.

He said his attackers appeared to be among 10 young men he passed by inside the station, and he warily watched them as he pumped gas.

“I'm just saddened that it has come to this,” Winans said. “This kind of nonsense just has to stop. It's just the savageness of what's happening in the street.”

He also believes his attackers didn't recognize him. Winans is pastor of the 4,500-member Perfecting Church on Detroit's east side. In February, he gave singer Whitney Houston's eulogy.

“And if they did, it didn't make much difference,” said Winans, who has been active in civic issues, including taking a stand against the proliferation of strip clubs in Detroit's neighborhoods.

Shooting of Trayvon Martin

The fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin by George Zimmerman took place on February 26, 2012, in Sanford, Florida, United States. Trayvon Martin was a 17-year-old African American male who was unarmed

George Zimmerman was a 28-year-old multi-racial Hispanic American, who was the community watch coordinator for the gated community where the shooting took place.

While on a private errand, Zimmerman saw Martin walking inside the gated community where Martin was visiting his father and his father's fiancée. Zimmerman called the Sanford Police Department to report Martin's behavior as suspicious.

 Shortly afterwards, there was an altercation, which ended with Zimmerman fatally shooting Martin once in the chest at close range.

When police arrived on the scene, Zimmerman told them that Martin had attacked him, and that he had shot Martin in self-defense.
Zimmerman was bleeding from the nose and mouth; and had two vertical lacerations on the back of his head.

EMTs treated Zimmerman at the scene, after which he was taken to the Sanford Police department where he was questioned for hours, taped a video statement, and was released without being arrested.

Police said that they had not found evidence to contradict his assertion of self-defense.

The circumstances of Martin's death, the initial decision not to charge Zimmerman, and questions about Florida's Stand Your Ground law received national and international attention. Allegations of racist motivation for the shooting and police conduct contributed to public demands for Zimmerman's arrest.

A Special Prosecutor was appointed to take over the investigation and on April 11, 2012, she chose to file charges of murder in the second degree against Zimmerman.

Zimmerman then turned himself in and was placed in custody.

On April 20, the judge approved Zimmerman's bail on a $150,000 bond.

 He was released from jail on April 23 and is required to wear an electronic monitoring device until trial.

Justice will be served.  One way or the other.  God is the Ultimate Judge.

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