The horrific coronavirus-related shooting death of a security guard in Michigan has prompted a major crowdfunding effort to assist the victim’s family as the police charged three suspects with murder.
Calvin James Munerlyn, 43, was working at a Family Dollar in the city of Flint on Friday afternoon when he asked a customer to cover her face with a mask while inside the store. That sparked an argument between the customer’s mother and Munerlyn, who reportedly advised the cashier against serving her. The mother then allegedly spit in Munerlyn’s face, followed her daughter out of the store and returned a short while later with her husband, who shot Munerlyn in the head. He was pronounced dead on the scene.
As of Monday afternoon, the GoFundMe account started for Munerlyn’s family to pay for his funeral and provide for his family was more than four times its goal of $10,000.
Here is the gofundme to help support his wife and 8 children. https://t.co/WVcHwMo9kb
— Mari Copeny (@LittleMissFlint) May 4, 2020
According to Michigan Live, “A 23-year-old man, 44-year-old man, and 45-year-old woman, all of Flint, have been charged with first-degree murder and weapons charges.” There is reportedly surveillance footage of the deadly episode as well as what allegedly led up to the shooting.
The local prosecutor reacted by saying what a preventable tragedy the shooting was.
“The death of Calvin Munerlyn is senseless and tragic and those responsible will be held accountable to the fullest extent under the law,” Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton said in a statement. “From all indications, Mr. Munerlyn was simply doing his job in upholding the Governor’s Executive Order related to the COVID-19 pandemic for the safety of store employees and customers.”
The topic of personal protective equipment (PPE) like face masks and gloves have been a contentious topic during the COVID-19 pandemic, with many states’ residents protesting the restrictive orders issues to combat and contain the highly contagious respiratory disease. Michigan, one of the states where the coronavirus is “widespread,” had nearly 44,000 cases as of Monday, according to data provided by the state. It has emerged as ground zero in the fight against not just PPE but also the closures of the state and its non-essential businesses. Protesters have been seen brandishing guns in the statehouse and on its grounds while intentionally not wearing any PPE. Friday’s shooting seems to be at the very least related to those sentiments expressed by the protesters in Michigan and around the country.
According to a new report, those same protesters in Michigan who refused to wear PPE may have spread the coronavirus to other parts of the state. The Michigan Advance cited “cell phone location data” when it reported on Monday that protesters who “didn’t stand 6 feet apart likely helped spread COVID-19 to smaller communities that aren’t prepared for disease outbreaks.”
This is America.
Rest in Power to Calvin James Munerlyn.