SAGINAW, MI — Two years after drawing an AR-15 in an apartment complex gunfight, only to suffer a gunshot wound of his own, a Saginaw man is heading to prison.
Saginaw County Chief Circuit Judge Darnell Jackson on Thursday, Jan. 19, sentenced Deangelo M. McNeal, 34, to two consecutive terms of two years in prison. Jackson gave McNeal credit for 730 days already served in the jail, though the credit is only applicable to one of the stints.
McNeal in November pleaded guilty to felon in possession of a firearm and felony firearm. He also pleaded as a fourth-time habitual offender.
In exchange for his pleas, the prosecution dismissed a life offense of assault with intent to murder and a second count of felony firearm.
A felony firearm conviction mandates two years in prison.
McNeal’s convictions stem from a shootout that occurred about 3 am on July 20, 2020, in the parking lot of Birch Park Apartments on Saginaw’s East side. In a May 2021 preliminary examination, then-17-year-old Marquaveus Q. Baston tested he and several others were socializing in the lot when a female cousin pulled up in a Jeep that also contained McNeal and the cousin’s children.
Baston’s cousin and McNeal were arguing, Baston said. Eventually, McNeal drew an AR-15 and Baston said he heard him say, “I’m fitting to get him. I’m fitting to kill the little (expletive).”
Baston hid by a tree as McNeal fired the gun three times, he said. Baston then ran to his residence, grabbed a gun that belonged to his brother, and came back outside.
“I felt threatened and I felt like he was going to hurt my sister or one of them,” Baston said.
He said he checked on his cousin’s children in the Jeep and told them to get down.
“I made my momma and my family members come toward me,” Baston testified. “Once they got toward me, (McNeal) was walking with them and he got by the tree and he started shooting. I just told them to get low, to get on the ground or something.”
Baston walked toward McNeal, who fired a shot at the ground, the bullet kicking up dirt.
“I think he was like trying to scare me or something, like to make me go backwards,” said Baston, adding he then fired eight shots at McNeal. “He got hit, I guess, and fell and kept shooting. After he was shot and I seen him fall, I ran after that to get a little cover and protection.”
McNeal fired about 12 times in all, Baston said. A 32-year-old male bystander also took a bullet to the leg.
Baston said he put a second clip in his gun and went to check on his family members, who were all OK. He soon noticed McNeal had “disappeared,” though his rifle was lying on the curb.
Baston said he fired at McNeal because he was afraid.
“I didn’t want to die at that point in time and I didn’t want anybody else around me to die,” he said.
Baston did not face criminal charges in connection with the incident.
Baston voluntarily turned over the gun he had used to police. Police found McNeal near the scene and arrested him.
read more:
Man who brought AR-15 to Saginaw gunfight, ended up shot by teen pleads guilty to gun charges
Teen testifies he shot man who was armed with AR-15 in Saginaw apartment complex shootout
Man shot in gunfight with teen at Saginaw apartment complex faces charges
