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Charles M. Hinton II, a 33-year-old employee of Kroger in Southgate, will not be charged in the Oct. 7 fatal stabbing of Ramon Vazquez, 23, of Southgate, inside the store because he acted in lawful self-defense, the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office announced Friday.
He has, however, been charged with illegally possessing a knife.
Authorities say the two men knew of each other through another person but had never met in person.
On the day of the incident, the victim allegedly entered the store in the 16700 block of Fort Street looking for Hinton. When they met up, Vazquez began punching him multiple times. During the attack, authorities said, Hinton produced a knife and stabbed Vazquez twice. Hinton remained at the scene.
Vazquez was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Authorities said that under Michigan law, a person can use force, including deadly force, when necessary to protect themselves. The person must honestly and reasonably believe that the use of deadly force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to themselves.
Hinton faces a charge of carrying a concealed weapon, which carries a penalty of up to five years in prison. He is expected to be arraigned after 10 a.m. Saturday in Detroit’s 36th District Court.
