Prosecutors say the man fired several rounds outside the middle school entrance when denied entry; judge ordered him held.
ROMULUS, Mich. — A Romulus father was charged Thursday with multiple felonies after a shooting outside Romulus Middle School on Tuesday morning led to a campus lockdown, a quick police arrest, and a profanity-laced outburst during his arraignment.
Prosecutors identified the defendant as 44-year-old Shawntez Marshaun Gregory. Investigators say he approached the school’s secure doorway shortly before 10 a.m., was refused entry, and then fired seven shots outside. Officers detained him near the front doors moments later and recovered a handgun. No one was injured. The Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office filed a terrorism-related charge and several weapons counts, saying the case will focus on threats connected to a school and evidence from the scene and security cameras. The district praised staff who followed training and said operations resumed after police cleared the building.
Tuesday’s events unfolded as classes were in session on Jan. 6 along the 37000 block of Wick Road. Office staff monitoring the entry reported seeing a gun and called 911. The school shifted to lockdown while students were directed away from windows and hallways. Police radio traffic described an “active shooter outside” as patrol cars converged. Prosecutors later said Gregory stood roughly a foot from the building when he opened fire and did not shoot into the structure. “The immediate reporting of an active shooter allowed Romulus police to quickly respond and apprehend the defendant,” Prosecutor Kym Worthy said. Families were told to avoid the area until officers finished their sweep.
Charges listed by prosecutors include false report or threat of terrorism; an intentional threat to commit violence against a school; carrying a concealed weapon; possession of a weapon in a weapons-free school zone; reckless use of a firearm; and two counts of felony firearm. Officials noted the defendant’s child is enrolled at the school and that prior no-trespass directives had been issued. In the 34th District Court hearing Thursday, Gregory refused to answer routine questions, cursed the judge, and covered his ears before the hearing concluded. He was ordered jailed without bond in the new case. A separate older case was addressed briefly but did not change his custody status in the shooting incident.
Romulus Community Schools Superintendent Benjamin P. Edmondson said the school’s front office secretary recognized the threat and never unlocked the inner door, a decision he said matched training. He said the district has added weapons detection at buildings and runs multiple active-shooter drills during the year. While some parents reported delayed robocalls during the lockdown, Edmondson said the district is auditing its contact lists and messaging while maintaining that classroom protocols worked. Tuesday was the first week back from winter break, and arrival routines were still settling in when the confrontation unfolded at the entrance.
The case timeline set by the court includes a probable cause conference on Jan. 20 at 8:30 a.m. and a preliminary exam on Jan. 27 at 11 a.m., both in 34th District Court. Prosecutors emphasized that all charges are allegations and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If a judge binds the case over after the preliminary exam, proceedings would shift to circuit court, where trial dates could be set. As of Thursday afternoon, no defense motions or competency screenings had been publicly announced in the new file.
Parents gathered near the campus on Thursday debated what they saw on arraignment video and asked about extra patrols promised for pickup. “It felt like everything happened in minutes,” said Carlos Mendoza, who has two children at the school. A neighbor described officers running toward the front doors while staff kept students inside classrooms. Dismissal proceeded under heightened security, with additional officers visible near the driveway.
Gregory remained in the Wayne County jail Thursday evening. The next public check-in is the Jan. 20 probable cause conference, when attorneys will discuss evidence and scheduling.
Author note: Last updated January 9, 2026.