Detroit Teens Charged As Adults In Robbery, Assault Of Police Officer

DETROIT — Two Detroit teenagers were charged as adults in connection with the robbery of an off-duty Detroit Police Officer, the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office announced.

Dwayne Whitley, 16, was charged with one count of armed robbery, one count of disarming a police officer, one count of assault with a dangerous weapon and three counts of felony firearm. His bond was set at $200,000 cash.

Marlon Henderson, 17, was charged with one count of armed robbery, one count of disarming a police officer and two counts of felony firearm. His bond was set at $175,000 cash.

Police said the officer stopped at a BP gas station on Joy Road and the Southfield Freeway while on his way downtown to work the Taylor Swift concert on June 10.

The off-duty officer, who was in full uniform, was making a purchase inside the gas station at 5:30 p.m. when Henderson attacked the officer and took his gun while Whitley pointed a handgun at the officer, prosecutors said.

After Henderson took the officer's handgun, the officer quickly recovered and took back the handgun, prosecutors said. That's when police said the two men ran away from the gas station.

No shots were fired and the officer was not injured during the scuffle, police said. Detroit Police Chief James White credited the officer who was attacked for not firing his gun as the suspects ran away from the gas station.

"The defendants in this case attacked our victim, a police officer in full uniform on his way to work, for no apparent reason," Prosecutor Kym Worthy said. "Everyone in the gas station at that moment in time was extraordinarily lucky that this situation did not escalate into losses of life."