A federal criminal complaint officially confirms that a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier suffered a gunshot wound during a violent attack on Detroit’s east side on October 7. The filing directly contradicts initial local reports that claimed the gunfire missed him during the incident near Joann Street and Collingham Drive.
According to an eight-page affidavit filed on October 9 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, a bullet grazed the top of the carrier’s head. The impact left a large laceration and heavy bleeding as multiple assailants targeted the victim during an attempted robbery.
Details of the Attack and Investigation
The confrontation began at approximately 5 p.m. while the victim walked northbound on Joann Street to deliver mail. Law enforcement responded following an alert from a ShotSpotter sensor at the Detroit Police Real Time Crime Center, along with an anonymous 911 call reporting the shooting.
The federal court document states that the mail carrier refused to hand over items when approached by the armed group. The suspects then punched and kicked the postal worker until he fell to the ground. During the beating, a single shot was fired before the attackers fled on foot in multiple directions.
Investigators quickly secured the area with the help of a Michigan State Police K-9 unit. Dogs tracked evidence to a nearby bramble patch on Alcoy Street, where officers recovered a .40-calibre Smith & Wesson handgun. Records confirmed the weapon was stolen on July 5 from a parked car in Warren.
Federal Charges and Suspects in Custody
Police have taken four suspects into custody in connection with the assault, including three adults and one juvenile. The four defendants named in the federal filing are:
- Michael Terrel Grayse, 22
- Kyron Deandre Grayse, 20
- Randy Karnard Parker-Smith, 19
- Daquan Hare, 20
All four individuals face formal charges of assaulting a federal employee, a felony carrying a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison. Michael Grayse, Parker-Smith, and Hare also face specific allegations involving the discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence, an offense that carries a mandatory 10-year prison sentence.
Confessions and Motive Revealed
The affidavit details incriminating statements and physical evidence gathered following the arrests. Officers located Michael Grayse exiting a home in the 19000 block of Joann Street. He appeared sweaty, out of breath, and covered in vegetation. Daquan Hare was detained nearby with bloody knuckles on his right hand.
Interrogations revealed conflicting motives. While the victim believed the incident was an attempted robbery, Michael Grayse told investigators that the assault occurred simply because a member of their crew did not like the mail carrier. According to the affidavit, Michael Grayse stated, “If they see someone they don’t like, they’ll confront him, and if it comes down to it, they’ll shoot him.”
Federal records show all four defendants were scheduled to appear in court for a detention hearing on October 16 as the joint investigation involving postal inspectors, Detroit police, and federal agencies continues.
