Armed Career Criminal Who Shot His Kneeling Victim in the Chest Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison

DETROIT - Today, Aaron Height, an armed career criminal, was sentenced to twenty-five years in federal prison on a charge of felon in possession of a firearm, after shooting an innocent man in the chest, United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. announced. According to court records, this shooting was part of a crime spree committed by Height over a six-week period between late 2022 and early 2023 during which Height also shot into one home three separate times, hitting a resident in the head, and shot into another home once.

Gorgon was joined in the announcement by James Deir, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Detroit Field Division, Chief Todd Bettison, Detroit Police Department, and Chief Davis Nelson, Detroit Fire Department.

Height's shooting spree began when, in October 2022, he shot into a home, hitting a resident in the head. Two months later, Height shot into the same home on two additional occasions. After the third shooting, Height was arrested by Detroit Police officers later that day when a traffic stop resulted in police finding a firearm in Height's car. The state court system granted Height a bond with a tether and house arrest. But Height violated this bond by threatening a witness to the house shooting. After a state court hearing, Height was again released on bond.

Just two days later, Height got into an argument with a man over a pair of shoes and struck the man in the head with a liquor bottle. Height then poured Comet household cleaner into the victim's head wound and ordered the victim and an eyewitness to their knees at gunpoint. Height then shot the victim in the chest and fled on foot. The victim suffered life-threatening and permanent life-altering injuries but survived. Height was arrested and, inexplicably, given bond again with a tether and house arrest. The case against him was eventually dismissed by the state but later adopted for federal prosecution which led to his federal conviction and sentencing today.

Height has an extensive and violent criminal history spanning from 1998 to 2023. He has convictions for felonious assault, assault and/or battery, arson, and unarmed robbery. He also has multiple convictions for property-related crimes and four convictions for drug crimes.

"The failure to keep vicious criminals off the street has led to notorious murders in Charlotte and Chicago. The same failure happened here. This defendant spent decades committing crimes and hurting people and a state court still set this menace free to terrorize us. But thanks to the hard work of Detroit Police, the ATF, and my office, this man will spend the next 25 years in a federal prison," U.S. Attorney Gorgon said.

"Height is a poster child for ATF's mission, to protect the public. Height was an urban terrorist who, freely roamed the streets of Detroit and preyed upon our community members. He habitually harmed Detroit residents with senseless acts of gun violence -firing into homes, ambushing residents, torturing victims, and nearly killing a man," said ATF Detroit Field Division Special Agent in Charge James Deir. "With today's sentence, the message is clear: Shooters beware - ATF and its partners are coming for you with one-way tickets on the accountability train destined for an extended stay in Federal prison. ATF and our law enforcement partners are relentless in taking violent offenders like Aaron Heights off our streets and out of our Michigan communities."

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in conjunction with the Detroit Police Department and Detroit Fire Department. The case is being prosecuted by the Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew R. Picek and Ranya Elzein.