OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. – A man has been charged after police say he shot and injured another man in a parking garage at an Oakland County hospital Thursday morning.
Robert Paljusevic, 21, is facing assault with intent to murder, felony firearm, and carrying a concealed weapon charges. Paljusevic was arraigned virtually Sunday and bond was denied.
Police said Paljusevic shot a coworker twice in the parking garage of Corewell Health Beaumont Troy Hospital. The shooting was called in as an active shooter situation and a warning was sent to staff telling them to “run, hide, fight.” The hospital went into a lockdown.
Multiple police agencies responded to the scene of the shooting and cleared the hospital while searching for the shooter. Paljusevic was taken into custody in Macomb Township nearly 3 hours after the shooting.
The victim has been identified as a 25-year-old Troy man. He was treated for his injuries at the hospital and is expected to be OK.
---> Shooting at Troy Corewell hospital: Here’s everything to know about what happened
What Troy detective said in court
A Troy detective provided the judge with allegations against Paljusevic in court on Sunday. The detective detailed what investigators learned from the victim, their family, and their coworkers about the relationship between Paljusevic and the victim.
Paljusevic’s family told investigators that they knew Paljusevic and the victim were friends. They had been aware the two of them had a “falling out” but believed it had been set aside because the victim attended a birthday party in January.
They also told investigators that Paljusevic had a “short fuse” and said “he would often argue with people.” The family said Paljusevic had worked the night shift at the hospital and believed he had worked the night before the shooting.
Detectives also interviewed the victim. He said he met Paljusevic while working afternoons at the hospital about a year ago.
“They became friends and hung out after their shifts often. The victim described the defendant as Jekyl and Hyde, and that sometimes he would be easygoing but other times he would overreact. The defendant stated that the victim was his only non-Albanian friend and made it clear that his people were not to be f----- with. The victim stated that there was typically a cloud hanging over the defendant and there was always a fear of what he might do and described the defendant as a bully,” the detective said in court.
The detective said the two had a falling out when the victim’s father passed away in January. The family had a private viewing that was for family only and Paljusevic was upset that he was not invited.
The victim’s mother told investigators that during the public viewing, she heard Paljusevic make an offensive comment to the body of the victim’s father. The detective said she told them that Paljusevic said, “your ----------- son would not invite me to meet you,” which was in reference to the private viewing.
According to the detective, after the funeral, there was a Facetime call between Paljusevic and the victim in which Paljusevic allegedly urinated on funeral brochures and made a comment saying, “If I do see you outside in public, don’t be surprised if something happens.”
The detective said the victim’s mother said Paljusevic was “highly possessive” of the victim.
He also said coworkers described Paljusevic as “very patriotic for Albania” and as “argumentative.” They described him as “energetic” and “amped up.”
Paljusevic arraigned on Sunday
Paljusevic waived a formal reading of the charges and chose to stand mute. Pleas of not guilty were entered on his behalf. He requested court-appointed council and an attorney will be appointed to represent him moving forward.
The attorney who spoke on his behalf at Sunday’s arraignment said Paljusevic lives with his sister, is a U.S. citizen, and finished high school. She said the only run-in with law enforcement he recalls was an incident involving public intoxication a couple of years ago.
Bond was denied and Paljusevic will remain in custody at the Oakland County Jail.
He is expected back in court at 9 a.m. on March 31.
