Woman’s stepson kills ax-wielding ex after he bursts into barricaded room, MI cops say

A Michigan woman’s stepson shot her ex-boyfriend to death during an attack at their home, likely saving her life, according to officials.

A 911 call came in around 10 a.m. July 17 from a house in Orion Township, and deputies began heading to the address “on the initial report of breaking and entering,” the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. But as the caller stayed on the line with dispatch, it became clear the situation was more dire than a simple break-in.

The caller said his stepmother’s ex-boyfriend had forced his way inside and was coming for her, the sheriff’s office said.

The stepmom had been with her ex, Galen Gavitt, 67, for 17 years before their relationship “soured” and she came to live with her stepson, he told the dispatcher. Gavitt entered their home by smashing a window with an ax and climbing through, deputies said.

The 62-year-old woman had a protective order against Gavitt, and due to previous death threats made toward her and her stepson, his guns had been taken away under the state’s “red flag” laws, officials said. But despite these steps she took to keep them safe, Gavitt was now inside their home with an ax and .38 revolver, searching while they barricaded themselves in an upstairs bedroom, according to deputies.

Deputies were still en route when Gavitt made his way to the upstairs bedroom, according to the sheriff’s office. The stepson pushed against the door as Gavitt tried to get in, so he fired a shot through it and the stepson fell down, allowing Gavitt to enter.

Deputies said Gavitt aimed his .38 at him for a moment as he lay on the floor, then stepped over him, turning his attention to a locked bathroom where his ex-girlfriend was now hiding.

“I’m here for (her),” he said.

But Gavitt wasn’t the only one with a gun, officials said. As he approached the bathroom, the stepson pulled out a handgun and shot Gavitt in the head, according to deputies.

The single gunshot was fatal, and Gavitt was pronounced dead at the scene after deputies arrived and attempted life-saving measures, the sheriff’s office said.

An investigation is ongoing.

Orion Township is about 40 miles northwest from downtown Detroit.

This story was originally published July 18, 2024 at 11:59 AM with the headline "Woman’s stepson kills ax-wielding ex after he bursts into barricaded room, MI cops say."