Deputies arrest suspect in Dec. 27 shooting

An article by Tim Dmoch    2 Comments

A 22-year-old Commerce Township man has been arrested in connection with a Dec. 27 shooting at a house party in the 2000 block of Nacona in Commerce.

According to an Oakland County Sheriff’s Department press release, Robert Michael Lanzilotti was arrested Monday, Jan. 23 and was expected to be charged yesterday, Tuesday, Jan. 24 with assault with a dangerous weapon-felony (maximum four-year prison term), two counts of felony possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony (a mandatory two-year prison term for each count), and careless discharge of a firearm causing injury or death (a two-year misdemeanor charge).

Cameron Bock, 19, of Commerce, the shooting victim, remains hospitalized and undergoing long-term treatment.

Sheriff’s Department officials state the incident was originally reported as an accidental shooting; however, interviews with several witnesses reportedly revealed different circumstances.

Oakland County Sheriff’s Department Commerce Township Substation deputies were called to the scene around 1:55 a.m. on Dec. 27. Initially, it was unclear whether Bock’s wound was self-inflicted or the result of an accidental shooting by one of the other people in the house.

According to the initial incident report, deputies were told the shooting occurred when someone brought out a handgun owned by one of the residents of the house. Earlier in the night, the homeowner’s 18-year-old son brought out the 9-mm Ruger semi-automatic handgun from the gun owner’s bedroom to show people before returning it.

When the owner of the gun returned to the home, there were nine guests at the house. Shortly after his arrival, the victim went to the room where the gun was and took it. The owner of the gun — who is not the homeowner but lives at the residence — saw the gun and told the victim to hand it over.

According to the initial incident report, the victim appeared to have racked a bullet into the gun’s chamber and then began to hand it to the gun owner. During the transfer, the gun discharged and hit the victim in the face, according to the incident report.

Bock was taken to DMC Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital before being transported to Detroit Receiving Hospital.

The Sheriff’s Department now reports that witnesses interviewed a few days after the shooting revealed Lanzilotti allegedly intended to scare Bock when the firearm was discharged. Lanzilotti allegedly was unaware the pistol was loaded and shot Bock at point-blank range. Witnesses also stated this wasn’t the first time Lanzilotti allegedly tried to “scare” people in this manner, according to a Sheriff’s Department press release.

Upon being re-interviewed and confronted, Lanzilotti allegedly admitted to the facts as relayed by witnesses, according to the press release.

Lanzilotti was arrested Monday by the Sheriff’s Department Fugitive Apprehension Team in Commerce Township. He was expected to be arraigned in 52-1 District Court in Novi.