OXFORD TWP. (WWJ) -- The victim of the fatal shooting at an Oakland County apartment complex earlier this week was a single father and a U.S. Army veteran.
The 56-year-old victim, Dennis Kendrick, who was shot on Wednesday before leaving for work was identified as a veteran, an employee of American Axle and a father to a 15-year-old boy who, according to his sisters, was "his whole world."
A GoFundMe account organized by Kendrick's three sisters says donations will go towards supporting his son while he deals with the loss of his father.
The family wrote on the fundraising site that Kendrick was a "very loving and fun spirit."
Before he was killed, police officials said Kendrick was sitting in his Ford Escape in the parking lot of the Abbey Ridge Apartment Homes complex on Market Street in Oxford Township, getting ready to leave for work around 3:30 a.m. Wednesday.
The Oakland County Sheriff's Office said the suspected shooter told police he had received a threatening text message earlier that morning and went searching for the culprit.
Despite not knowing Kendrick, the suspect told authorities the person he shot was the one who had sent the offensive text.
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The suspect shot Kendrick multiple times with a 9 mm handgun and then called police to report the shooting.
Kendrick was pronounced dead at the scene. The Oakland County Medical Examiner ruled the death a homicide from a gunshot wound. Detectives recovered six spent shell casings from the scene. The suspect had a concealed pistol license.
The suspect, whose name has not been released, was arrested at the scene without incident and is being held in the Oakland County Jail, pending formal charges.
Authorities have not revealed what the alleged text message said.
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Sheriff Michael Bouchard was angered by what he called a senseless killing.
“The random and unprovoked violence we are seeing across the county is unacceptable and those who commit these violent acts must be held to account,” Bouchard said, per a press release.
