Jurors Deliberate If Fatal Shooting Outside Y Bar Was Self-Defense
After three days of testimony in Kalamazoo County Circuit Court, jurors are currently deliberating over whether a fatal shooting outside the now-shuttered Y Bar in 2022 was an act of self-defense. The incident occurred on November 11, 2022, when Bryce Salter, a 21-year-old Kalamazoo resident, was shot and killed following an altercation in the parking lot of Campus Pointe Mall near Western Michigan University’s campus.
The defendant, Damien Lee Lang, a 28-year-old from Lansing, was later arrested on an unrelated warrant in Ingham County. He was subsequently charged with open murder, as well as a concealed carry charge and a weapons felony firearm charge, in relation to Salter’s death. Lang has spent the week on trial, and he took the stand as the last witness before closing arguments were heard on October 26.
During the closing arguments, Kalamazoo County Assistant Prosecutor Mike Reisterer emphasized the fact that Lang himself admitted that Salter did not have a gun in his hand at the time of the shooting. Reisterer argued that Lang’s claims of self-defense should be called into question based on this revelation. The prosecutor also highlighted Lang’s admission to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, as well as the video footage showing Lang initiating the fight and repeatedly striking Salter.
Reisterer likened Lang’s decision to pull the trigger to a driver approaching a yellow light, noting that it was a conscious decision made in the heat of the moment. However, Lang’s defense attorney, Caleb Grimes, argued that there was not enough time for substantial reflection and premeditation. Grimes emphasized that Lang did not continue shooting once the immediate threat was over, suggesting that his actions were not driven by an intent to kill.
Grimes also criticized the police investigation, claiming that it was incomplete and that the prosecution stopped investigating once they felt they had enough evidence for a conviction. He urged the jury to consider the seconds leading up to the shots being fired, suggesting that Lang believed he was in danger of death or great bodily harm.
The jury began deliberations on Thursday afternoon and continued on Friday morning. The outcome of their deliberations will determine whether Lang is found guilty of first-degree murder and the other charges he faces.
This case raises important questions about self-defense and the use of lethal force. The jury, tasked with weighing the evidence and testimony presented during the trial, will ultimately decide whether Lang’s actions were justified or if they constituted a criminal act. The verdict will provide closure for the victim’s family and determine the legal consequences for Lang.
