Man who shot up massage parlor, drug store pleads to gun charge
Defendant says he doesn’t recall incident
A Dearborn man who shot up a Warren massage parlor and pharmacy where he worked pleaded no contest to a weapons charge and will be sentenced to timeserved and probation.
Hesham Bapacker, 35, faces a Dec. 22 sentencing in front of Judge Matthew Sabaugh in Macomb County Circuit Court after entering a plea Nov. 9 to one count of discharged a firearm in or at a building.
An additional count of that charge and two counts of possession of a gun during the commission of a felony will be dismissed as part of a plea deal.
No one was injured in the incident.
Sabaugh agreed to sentence Bapacker to probation and the approximately 11 weeks of time served in the county jail at the Dec. 22 sentencing.
Bapacker has been addressing mental-health issues from which he suffers, according to court records and an assistant Macomb prosecutor.
“He’s got a pretty significant mental-health history and has gone to great lengths to address that,” Assistant Prosecutor Patrick Coletta said following the plea. “That was a primary reason for the dismissal of the felony firearm charges.”
He also has already paid restitution for the damage, Coletta said.
Bapacker’s bond was reduced last May from the $1 million set by a Warren district court judge to $100,000/10% by Sabaugh. Bapacker posted 10% within two weeks and was released on the condition he participate in a “day program” at Havenwyck Hospital, a psychiatric and substance-abuse facility in Auburn Hills. Bapacker, who has no prior criminal record, claims he blacked out and doesn’t recall the incident.
“It’s very strange,” Coletta said.
Bapacker was suspected of firing over 40 shots at the Greenday Massage and 9 & Ryan Pharmacy buildings in a strip mall at about 2 a.m. Feb. 28 when he knew or should have known that massage parlor employees may be inside. The pharmacy building where he worked was empty at the time.
Three women were sleeping inside Greenday Massage at the time and called police when they were awakened by gunfire. The women indicated they had no previous interaction with Bapacker and did not know what may have prompted the shooting, police said.
Bapacker surrendered to the Warren police Special Response unit.
Evidence technicians located more than 40 spent 9mm shell casings at the scene and more than 30 bullet strikes in the two buildings. Detectives seized a 9mm handgun and more than 100 unfired rounds of ammunition from the pharmacy.