Man bought gun for another in fatal police shooting: cops

A Detroit man has been federally charged with illegally buying a gun and then selling it at a $50 profit to a 19-year-old accused of fatally shooting a police officer last week.

Sheldon Avery Thomas, 26, stands charged with making false statements during the purchase of a firearm, according to a criminal complaint filed Sunday.

Surveillance footage obtained by investigators shows Thomas buying a Romarm/Cigir, Draco, 7.62-caliber pistol from a gun shop in Eastpointe on June 7, during which he signed a form saying the gun was for himself.

Later that day, Thomas allegedly met Ehmani Davis in a nearby White Castle parking lot and sold him the gun.

“Don’t do nothing f–king stupid because my name is on it,” Thomas told Davis, he told police.

Thomas had previously tried to buy a gun from the same shop in late May, but was held up by a background check, according to the criminal complaint.

On Wednesday, Detroit Police Officer Loren Courts, 40, was ambushed in his patrol car by a suspected gunman, Davis, who fired into the car from a window above street level.

Davis then allegedly ran downstairs and aimed his gun at Courts and his partner, Officer Amanda Hudgens. Hudgens continued trying to apply life-saving pressure to Courts’ wounds while other responding officers shot and killed Davis.

“She made her choice that many people in the same circumstance would say they would make, but it’s the first time I’ve ever seen anyone make it. She braced herself to be shot in the back of the head or in the back while she administered first aid,” Detroit Police Chief James E. White said at a press conference.

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“(Davis is) advancing on her with an assault rifle. She’s administering first aid … she glances back, braces herself and continues to apply direct pressure.”

Courts is survived by his wife, Kristine, and two children, 15-year-old son Darian and 9-year-old daughter Devyn.

“This man was so much more than a police officer. He was an amazing dad, my best friend and the man I married. All the news articles talk about is a DPD officer. He was so much more to me and the kids. Our Batman!” Kristine wrote on Facebook.

“I’m broken, I can’t begin to imagine how we are going to live without him. My babies need him. I need him. I keep thinking I’m going to wake up from this nightmare and he’s going to come home … me and my babies will never be the same. I already miss his hugs, his voice, his jokes, and his smile with those eyes. Rest In Peace daddy, we will never stop loving you.”

Thomas spoke to police after the gun used in Courts’ killing was traced back to him, admitting he bought the weapon for his friend “Monie,” who he identified as Davis, according to the criminal complaint.

Search warrants also turned up text messages between the two planning to meet up for the swap.

Thomas appeared in court Sunday and was ordered temporarily detained until a detention hearing on Tuesday. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.