Family Of Macomb County Man Shot By Father Demands Harsher Charges

(CBS DETROIT) - The family of Steve Szymanski, the 30-year-old Fraser resident shot by his father, were out demanding justice for him Monday.

"Steve will never be the same, Steve lost a kidney and the bullet is still lodged in his body," said Jill Quarker, Szymanski's cousin.

On May 24, Szymanski was shot in the abdomen during a dispute at a home in Macomb Township. The shooter is Szymanski's father, 56-year-old Michael Szymanski.

According to the Macomb County Sheriff's Office, Michael was arraigned last Wednesday and charged with one count of assault with intent to do great bodily harm, a charge the victim's family says is not harsh enough.

"One charge of great bodily harm and that's a fist fight in a bar, that's not shooting an unarmed man," said Quarker.

She says the victim's father is receiving special treatment from the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office because he's a retired police officer.

"For the charges to come down from the sheriff's office with attempted murder, they thought Mike tried to kill Steve and they bring him here to the prosecutor and the prosecutor says naw he just wanted to harm him, he didn't want to kill him," she said.

Macomb County Sheriff Anthony Wickersham confirmed off camera, his office did recommend attempted murder charges against Michael Szymanski.

CW50's April Morton reached out to the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office and as of Monday afternoon did not hear back. The suspect Michael Szymanski is due back in court Aug. 4.

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