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Gas station slaying suspect charged with attempted murder in separate case

Willie Martin Bryant Jr., 33, who is charged in a non-fatal shooting on Sunday, is a suspect in the Monday morning murder of a gas station clerk in Wyoming.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - A man called a suspect in the murder of a Wyoming gas station clerk was arraigned Tuesday for a non-fatal shooting in Grand Rapids over the weekend that stemmed from a neighborhood dispute.

Willie Martin Bryant Jr., 33, was arraigned on three charges, including attempted murder, for the Sunday afternoon shooting on Thomas Street near Dolbee Avenue SE.

It is one of three separate shootings in recent days linked to Bryant, who has been in and out of trouble since he was a teen.

Authorities say he shot 55-year-old Annette Vaught with a pistol after the two exchanged words. Vaught remains hospitalized in critical but stable condition.

►Read more: Willie Bryant now linked to three separate shootings in the last week

►Read more: 'Loving mother:' Family remembers Wyoming murder victim

During his video arraignment Tuesday afternoon, Bryant asked the judge for bond. “I feel like you need to give me a bond, man, because they don’t have no evidence against me. All they got is accusations, bro,’’ he told Grand Rapids District Court Judge Michael J. Distel.

The judge denied bond. “Based upon the severity of the charges and due to the totality of the circumstances surrounding these charges, the court has significant community safety and flight risk concerns,’’ Distel explained.

Bryant is also charged as a habitual offender due to numerous felony convictions. He’ll return to Grand Rapids District Court for a probable cause conference on June 5.

Meanwhile, he remains a suspect in the Monday morning shooting death of Shannon Schoen. The 48-year-old woman was gunned down during an apparent robbery at the Marathon gas station at 28th Street and Buchanan Avenue SW in Wyoming.

A man identified as Bryant’s cousin, 58-year-old Gary Anthony Bryant, was arrested Monday in connection with the homicide investigation. He is being held in the Kent County Jail.

Willie Bryant’s father attended Tuesday’s arraignment. In comments outside the courtroom, he said he was stunned to hear his son is a suspect in the Marathon slaying.

“I never would have thought in a million years my son would be caught up in something like this,’’ 54-year-old Willie Bryant Sr. said. “I don’t know what happened. But if he did do that, then he need to man up.’’

The younger Bryant has been in trouble since his teen years; offenses range from improper driving to drug dealing. Court records indicate he finished 11th grade at Godwin Heights High School. He’s held a variety of jobs over the years, spent time in Chicago and lists a current address in Kentwood.

Bryant was released from prison in Oct. 2016 after serving time for receiving and concealing a stolen car. Other convictions include larceny, vandalism, drug possession, use of marijuana and distribution of imitation crack cocaine.

In 2004, he sold an undercover officer $30 worth of crack cocaine. A year earlier, Bryant attempted to sell imitation crack cocaine at Godwin Heights High School. It was actually soap cut and packaged to look like crack, according to court records.

He also has convictions tied to marijuana and cocaine possession. Bryant’s criminal past includes at least nine misdemeanor convictions and five probation violations.

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