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Marcus Weldon, 26, faces multiple assault charges, including
assault with intent to murder, as a result of the shooting,
which wounded two men early Sunday. Weldon's attorney, Gabi
Silver, pleaded not guilty on Weldon's behalf at a hearing on
Tuesday.
Silver told Judge Michael Wagner that Weldon was acting in
defense of a woman. Silver later told reporters the woman was
his co-worker, who was dressed as Mrs. Claus and had possibly
been pushed by one of the men.
Silver said Weldon and his co-worker were dressed as the Clauses
for a party at the MGM Grand Casino in downtown Detroit, where
they both work.
"They were just getting off work, no alcohol was involved,"
Silver told reporters. "This was a situation that started off
ugly and just got uglier."
Violence erupted when Weldon, dressed as Santa Claus, got into a
heated verbal exchange with one of the men, a gas station
customer, prosecutors said. Weldon fired several shots, wounding
the man and a passenger in his car, prosecutors said.
Weldon fled the scene, but was taken into police custody nearby
shortly after the incident.
The shooting victims were hospitalized. As of Tuesday, one of
the victims remained in the hospital and the other victim has
been released.
Silver said Weldon has no prior record and was licensed to carry
a concealed weapon. When he's not playing Santa, Weldon works as
an electrician apprentice at the casino, Silver said.
Wagner set a bond of $50,000. The next hearing will be Jan. 5.
(Editing by Mary Wisniewski and Eric Walsh)
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