BATTLE CREEK, Mich. - A Battle Creek man is being held without bond after his arraignment on charges in the shooting death of Khari Davis a week ago.
Calhoun County Prosecutor David Gilbert authorized charges of first-degree premeditated murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony for Davion Brown, 18, on Monday morning and he was arraigned in Calhoun County District Court in the early afternoon.
Brown faces a mandatory life sentence in prison without parole if convicted.
During his arraignment before Magistrate David Heiss, a preliminary examination was set for Oct. 30 before Judge Samuel Durham.
Brown was arrested Sunday by Battle Creek police after he surrendered at 10 a.m. at the police station with members of his family and defense attorney Donald Sappanos, of Portage.
After more than an hour, Sappanos and family members left the police station, and Brown was taken to the Calhoun County jail.
Sappanos did not attend the 4½ minute arraignment but arrived a short time later to meet with prosecutors and police about the case. He said he was not prepared to comment because he has not seen reports on the shooting or the evidence collected by investigators.
Police have not revealed their theory of the shooting or a suspected motive but police have said they believe others are involved and could be charged.
Davis, 22, was shot twice in the head while sitting in a van about 7:08 p.m. on Oct. 9 at Claude Evans Park, 300 N. Washington Ave.
Two men drove him to Bronson Battle Creek where he was pronounced dead.
On Thursday shots were fired and a fire started at a home on Boyd Street and the man inside, Devree Garner, 33, said someone was trying to kill him. Police said they were investigating whether that incident was connected to the homicide but have not disclosed what they learned in that investigation.
A second shooting on Friday afternoon near Battle Creek Academy also may have been connected to the homicide, police said. Shots were heard in the area and a bullet struck a window of the school at 480 Parkway Drive, but no one was hurt and no arrests were made.
Davis' death was the sixth homicide in Calhoun County in 2018.
Contact Trace Christenson at 269-966-0685 or tchrist@battlecreekenquirer.com.Follow him on Twitter: @TSChristenson
