Rival Gas Stations in Price War Kills 1
The two gas stations had rivaled for years. They stood across an intersection from each other on Fort Street in Detroit, where even a penny's difference was enough to lure customers. Labels: bizzare news, crime drama, money, murder
And so came the price war: One station dropped a cent or two, and the other grudgingly followed.
But the seemingly petty back-and-forth escalated Friday, ending with a fatal bullet in BP station owner Jawad Bazzi's head over what police say was a 3-cent difference in the cost of regular gas.
"It's crazy," said a red-eyed Hafed Bazzi, the victim's nephew. "There had been conflicts before but never like this."
Here's what police said happened:
The Marathon station on Fort near Springwells dropped its price to $2.93. That angered Jawad Bazzi, whose regular gas was priced at $2.96.
Bazzi walked across the street with a couple of employees to confront the Marathon owner and his posse.
The groups argued, then began throwing punches. One of Bazzi's employees hit a Marathon employee with a baseball bat, injuring him.
That's when the Marathon owner grabbed a handgun and fired three or four times. Bazzi, 45, of Dearborn Heights was shot in the head.
The Marathon owner, whose name wasn't released Friday, was arrested. He's identified as a 51-year-old Warren man.
Police at the scene said the handgun was recovered. Those involved in the fight were being interviewed.
After the 10:15 a.m. shooting, more than a dozen of Bazzi's relatives filled the BP parking lot, hugging each other and glaring at the Marathon station, which was surrounded by police tape and investigators.
They called the gas industry a cutthroat business. One man, his shirt spotted with blood, shielded his face as he climbed into an SUV and was driven away.
Police said they fear retaliation from the BP employees against the Marathon employees, but an evening gathering led by Mohammed Ali Barro, a scholar in the local Islamic community, preached peace at an impromptu memorial service at Byblos Banquets in Dearborn.
Speaking in Arabic, he read from the Quran and told more than 100 of Bazzi's friends and family members to be patient.
"There's so many good things to say about Jawad, it's hard to begin," said Hafed Bazzi, who is Lebanese. "He made many pledges to mosques and churches.
"I remember as I was growing up, he said that's what every capable businessman should do."
Jawad Bazzi had four children, his family said. His wife and other female family members gathered at a relative's house in Dearborn to mourn.
Hafed Bazzi said his uncle was an area businessman for 30 years. He'd owned the BP since 1994, he said.
Bazzi's funeral will come quickly, possibly as early as today, his nephew said. He said he expects 1,000 people to attend the service at the Islamic Center of America at 19500 Ford in Dearborn.
"It's a close community," he said.
Police said they're still investigating the case. It hadn't been turned over yet to the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office to determine what, if any, charges would be filed.
After the shooting, with the competing station closed, BP's price per gallon increased to $3.09 for regular.
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