Police identify victim in accidental shooting in Ypsilanti Township
A man who investigators say fatally shot himself Sunday when his revolver accidentally discharged in Ypsilanti Township has been identified as 29-year-old Mackey Bovian III of Ypsilanti.
Bovian suffered a single gunshot wound to the head at 10 p.m. Sunday while sitting in a car with his friend and the friend’s girlfriend in the 1200 block of Hull Street, Washtenaw County sheriff's deputies said.
Washtenaw County Medical Examiner Bader Cassin, who was scheduled to conduct the autopsy, could not be reached for comment this afternoon.
Mackey Bovian III
Bovian didn't have a permit to carry the gun, sheriff's department spokesman Derrick Jackson said. He was holding the gun when it discharged, Jackson said.
Bovian’s mother, 55-year-old Betty Bovian of Orangeburg, SC, said investigators haven't given her details about the shooting.
“I have a lot of questions with no answers,” she said. “I want to know what happened. What’s going on? This is my child, my son, my baby. And no parent wants to bury their children. I had a pain in my heart like I’ve never had before.”
Investigators are expected to release a report on the shooting within the next couple days, Jackson said.
Bovian was married and has twin 6-year-old daughters and a 20-month-old son, his mother said. He grew up in South Carolina and moved to Michigan when he was 19 to live with his brother, who was taking classes at Muskegon Community College, she said.
"He was an energetic bubbly person," she said. "My Mackey never met a stranger. He would do anything for anyone."
While he wasn’t employed recently, he worked in the past as a cell phone salesman and with special needs children, his mother said. Betty Bovian said her son enjoyed repairing everything from old lawnmowers to television sets.
The two were close and spoke on the phone almost every day, she said. She has a nickname for each of her three children. His was "Chocolate Man."
"Because I told him he was such a sweet child," she said. "He just thought it was funny."
Department of Corrections records show Bovian was sentenced to two years of probation in August 2007 after pleading no contest to a drug charge in Isabella County.
In December 2008, he pleaded guilty to attempting to obstruct a Washtenaw County sheriff's deputy, but court records do not reflect that he was sentenced in that case.
His mother talked to him on the phone Saturday night, and they chatted about how hot it was outside, she said. She reminded him to take care of himself and told him she loved him, she said.
"When you love someone, you need to always tell them that," she said. "We never know when our final good-bye is."
Lee Higgins covers crime and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached by phone at (734) 623-2527 or email at leehiggins@annarbor.com.
Comments
clara
Thu, Jul 15, 2010 : 10:42 a.m.
@Malorie If it was his friend's gun, and he was 'just checking it out' then he illegally possessed a concealed weapon (in the car) and I would hope charges would follow against the 'friend'. Also, Corrections lists his probation case as active although it should have been closed 8/17/09. If he was still under corrections supervision, he is forbidden from being in a vehicle with someone with a gun "Zero Tolerance". This sounds like a terrible tragedy. But, he should not have had that gun for so many reasons.
M.
Thu, Jul 15, 2010 : 9:46 a.m.
Thank you naturally...I also found it a bit shameful to share his criminal record in an article announcing his death. The article makes it clear that he did not have a license to carry the gun, but it does not state where he got it or to whom it belonged. It may very well have been his friend's (in the car) and he was checking it out....or a few other scenarios that could have been the case. It's a shame that an article about a man's accidental death was twisted into bait for us commentators.
Thomas
Thu, Jul 15, 2010 : 9:12 a.m.
I don't understand the autopsy either. There is a hole in his head caused by a fast moving object, case closed. Now lets waste some more tax payer money.
obviouscomment
Thu, Jul 15, 2010 : 8:58 a.m.
there is still an ongoing investigation and there hopefully more truth will be found. it is hard to believe that it was simply an accident because i cannot imagine how that could happen. also, so many people complain in their comments on other articles that not enough investigating was done to get info, now you complain when they do research and report their findings...make up your mind.
naturally
Thu, Jul 15, 2010 : 8:36 a.m.
Why is his criminal record mentioned in this article? Yes, he had a gun illegally, and yes he apparently did not know how to handle that gun but mentioning his record is not relevant.
Moonmaiden
Thu, Jul 15, 2010 : 8:01 a.m.
Rice & Ras - I'm guessing the family won't be expecting your sympathies.
Ricebrnr
Thu, Jul 15, 2010 : 7:35 a.m.
Except then they wouldn't be on topic and then they would be deleted.... Besides the point is there are laws that would have, supposedly should have prevented this accident from occuring in the first place. Sad for the family, but that doesn't negate that this should have been prevented nor does it negate the discussion about preventing similar future events.
Bob
Thu, Jul 15, 2010 : 7:17 a.m.
Thank you, Moonmaiden, for pointing out what should be obvious: left behind are a grieving mother, wife and three children. It's a real tragedy and the other issues should be put on hold for now and discussed in other forums at another time.
Moonmaiden
Thu, Jul 15, 2010 : 5:46 a.m.
Thank you to the two of you who realize the tragic side of this. Another father is gone but eleven of you have to mount your righteous horses and spout off about guns and crime. Hope y'all solve the world's problems from your keyboards.
someguy734
Thu, Jul 15, 2010 : 2:40 a.m.
he was from ann arbor i think that should be included, because it makes him sound as if he was ypsi
jcj
Wed, Jul 14, 2010 : 10:02 p.m.
It is so naive to think that if you pass a law prohibiting something that will take care of the problem. How many posters here speed? That is clearly against the law but you do it! How many laws are there against drug use? Sure solves that problem doesn't it?
jcj
Wed, Jul 14, 2010 : 9:58 p.m.
You can have all the gun laws you want. But there will always be people with guns that don't know how to handle them and don't respect them. The story clearly states he did NOT have a permit to carry the gun! But it did not keep him from having it.
Anishinaabe
Wed, Jul 14, 2010 : 9:53 p.m.
I think the appropriate response to this story isn't whether he should have had the gun or what his criminal record was, but that it was tragic that he lost his life and his children just lost their father. My sympathies to the family.
ronaldduck
Wed, Jul 14, 2010 : 9:29 p.m.
hepcat if you would bother to do some research you would find that at the time of the writing of the bill of rights all adult males were considered members of the militia and well regulated meant that they were properly trained.
Ricebrnr
Wed, Jul 14, 2010 : 9:26 p.m.
@ David Briegel, Not saying supporting or not, only that there are laws against criminals owning guns. @ Matt Cooper1, also you are incorrect. There is a list of disqualifiers and it includes not only felonies, see below for example. michigan.gov/msp/0,1607,7-123-1591_3503_4654-225113--,00.html Purchasing and Registering a Pistol in Michigan An applicant must comply with all state and federal laws prior to the issuance of the license. The following are state and federal laws that prohibit an individual from receiving a license: Federal - 18 USC 922(g) & (n) Unlawful user of, or addicted to, any controlled substance (convicted, of possession within last year, multiple arrests for possession within the past five years if most recent arrest occurred within the past year, or positive drug test within last year)
hepcat
Wed, Jul 14, 2010 : 7:53 p.m.
Some people, including some members of the supreme court, believe that the 2nd amendment guarantees individuals the right to bear arms. So just as we the people cannot deny any citizen including criminals the insane or even prisoners their right to speech and religion.....the same goes for gun ownership. These people are wrong. Why do they think our forefathers started the amendment with " A well regulated militia being necessary "?
Gorc
Wed, Jul 14, 2010 : 7:46 p.m.
Is an ATTEMPT To obstruct a county officer a felony or misdemeanor?
Matt Cooper1
Wed, Jul 14, 2010 : 7:36 p.m.
ricebrnr: Felonies prevent you from owning and/or registering a firearm, not misdemeanors.
David Briegel
Wed, Jul 14, 2010 : 7:34 p.m.
You mean you support gun laws that restrict the 2nd amendment rights of citizens??
Ricebrnr
Wed, Jul 14, 2010 : 6:56 p.m.
"Department of Corrections records show Bovian was sentenced to two years of probation in August 2007 after pleading no contest to a drug charge in Isabella County. In December 2008, he pleaded guilty to attempting to obstruct a Washtenaw County sheriff's deputy, but court records do not reflect that he was sentenced in that case." So where did he get this gun? Per the above it seems to me he shouldn't have been legally able to possess one.