For psychologist and teacher Barbara Wolf, helping people was part of her life’s work.
So when she saw a stranded motorist on the side of the road Christmas Eve, authorities said, the 71-year-old healer and educator stopped to help.
Tragically, her life would end as the man who was stuck in a ditch pulled a gun on her, and fatally shot her.
“This vile and disturbing violent act is so heinous on multiple levels and the suspect deserves to be held fully accountable and never see the light of day,” Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said in a statement Saturday, four days after a gunman shot multiple people on a back road in Oxford Township.
Barbara Wolf, a 71-year-old psychologist, died while trying to help a stranded motorist who pulled a gun on her on Christmas Eve.
Wolf, of Oxford Township, died in the rampage. Her 38-year-old daughter who was in the car with her was shot, but is expected to recover. One other person also was injured.
Bouchard’s comments came shortly after murder, carjacking and weapons charges were announced against the suspect: Malik Webb, a 29-year-old ex-convict from Genesee County who has a history of gun violence and was paroled early last year, despite getting convicted of another gun crime while behind bars.
“This is another tragic case where a convicted felon with past weapon offenses was out too early and in a position to hurt others. There must be changes in our criminal justice system that prevents people who have been caught carrying and using weapons illegally from simply being cycled back out to harm others,” Bouchard said. “They must know of predictable and harsh punishment and receive it when they commit those crimes.”
“Instead,” Bouchard continued, “we have a grieving family that now will mark a treasured time of year as a reminder of a preventable murder.”
Wolf was an assistant professor at Michigan State University’s College of Human Medicine and worked as a clinical psychologist with the McLaren Health Care system, which called the tragedy “a senseless act of violence that took the life of one of our best.”
“As news has spread about this tragedy, there is immense grief, shock, and sadness from the many lives that Barb touched, both within McLaren and in the communities she served,” the hospital system said in a statement, stressing Wolf was devoted to the “mental health and emotional well-being of so many as a clinical psychologist and teacher.”
Dr. Wolf will be remembered for her heart, spirit, and kind presence. Her career was one of service to our patients, our providers, our trainees, and the communities McLaren is honored to serve. The hearts of all at McLaren are with her family and friends, and all those who knew our beloved colleague and dear friend as they grieve this tragedy.”
Webb, who is being held without bond, was arraigned Saturday in 52-1 District Court in Novi on multiple charges, including felony murder, carjacking and being a felon in possession. If convicted of the murder charge, he faces a mandatory life sentence, without the possibility of parole.
According to the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office, here is the series of events that occurred in Oxford Township on Christmas Eve, when multiple good Samaritans stopped to help a motorist who appeared to be in trouble. The case involves seven different victims during a series of incidents that all happened in rapid succession. According to prosecutors, here’s what happened:
At about 6:20 p.m., a man pulled into a parking lot near the corner of M-24 and Oakwood and struck a wooden pole before backing up, nearly hitting another car, and then striking the pole again. Two women stopped to help and asked whether he was OK.
He responded by pointing a handgun at them, and then drove south on Lapeer Road. That’s when he encountered Wolf and her daughter. They were driving together when they observed a car that had crashed into a tree and stopped to see if the driver was OK.
The driver allegedly ran up to the driver’s side of Wolf’s car and tried to get inside her vehicle. Wolf tried to drive away, but the stranded motorist began shooting into her car, striking both Wolf and her daughter.
Another individual, a 39-year-old female, was driving down the road and saw a car in a ditch and turned around to check on the vehicle. When she stopped, however, the gunman allegedly pointed a handgun at her head, demanded her car keys, and told her to get in the vehicle with him.
She ran away. The gunman tried to drive away with her vehicle, but was unable to do so. As the victim ran toward another car, she heard multiple gun shots.
More: Witness: Oxford shooting suspect opened fire on good Samaritans who stopped to help him
More: Oxford Christmas Eve shooting suspect, Malik Webb, charged with 19 counts, including murder
A separate vehicle with two individuals, a 56-year-old male and a 54-year-old female, was driving down the road and saw a vehicle in the ditch and another parked in the roadway. The driver slowed down to see whether anyone needed help when the gunman walked up to the victim’s truck and said that people were hurt and needed help.
The gunman then climbed onto the truck’s driver’s side running board stating that he was lost and needed help getting somewhere. The gunman allegedly pointed a gun at the driver and began trying to open the rear door of the vehicle.
The driver — a 56-year-old Oxford man — was shot in the arm but was able to get away after prying the gunman from his vehicle.
Deputies later located a 39-year-old Oxford Township woman who had been at the Park and Ride when Webb placed a gun to her head in a failed attempt to drive off in her vehicle. Deputies also located Webb and took him into custody without incident and recovered the 9mm handgun used during the crime spree.
Wolf was transported to the hospital where she later died of her injuries. The other injured victims were also treated at an area hospital. One remains in serious condition with multiple significant injuries. The other has been treated and released.
“This was a senseless murder and rampage. … I have authorized the highest possible charges, and my office will fight vigorously for justice for these victims,” Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald said in a statement Friday. “While this appears to be a random shooting, it is devastating for our entire community, even more so because it happened during the middle of the holidays. My thoughts are with thevictims and their families.”
Contact Tresa Baldas: [email protected]
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Victim killed in Oxford shooting spree was psychologist, MSU professor
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