Detroit man pleads guilty to attempting to kill ATF special agents following ATF-led arrest with Detroit Police and Michigan State Police

DETROIT, MI - The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, joins United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr., Chief Todd Bettison, Detroit Police Department; and Colonel James F. Grady II, Director, Michigan State Police in announcing Terrance Markyce Davis, 34, of Detroit, Michigan, today pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of ATF Special Agents, which occurred during a heated chase with law enforcement in November 2025.

"Terrance Davis is a poster child for what ATF and its partners prioritize: identifying and apprehending serial shooters in our communities. Davis terrorized Detroit neighborhoods by repeatedly shooting into homes and vehicles. He then chose to shoot at ATF agents attempting to take him into custody. Our agents and law enforcement partners didn't back down," said James Deir, ATF's Detroit Field Division Special Agent in Charge. "Davis tried to kill federal agents rather than surrender. In the end, accountability matters. Davis is now on the express train with only one stop: federal prison. I hope he packed a suitcase. Make no mistake, ATF will not be intimidated or deterred from pursuing violent criminals who believe possessing an illegal firearm makes them dangerous, invincible or above the law. It does not."

"This defendant terrorized our streets and then tried to murder the federal agents who came to stop him," Gorgon said. "The brave men and women of the ATF, Detroit Police and the Michigan State Police ended his rampage. And we are honored to fight with them against the violent criminals who threaten us all."

With his guilty plea, Davis now faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 17 years in federal prison and a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment. Davis will be sentenced on March 3, 2027.

Background on the Case

According to court filings and Davis's admissions during the plea hearing, between November 5 and November 13, 2025, Davis fired multiple rounds into houses and vehicles across Detroit, seriously injuring one person. On November 14, 2025, ATF Special Agents obtained a warrant charging Davis with being a felon in possession of ammunition in connection with one of those shootings. When agents attempted to arrest him, Davis fled in his vehicle, carjacked a motorist, and exchanged gunfire with ATF agents.

Michigan State Police subsequently disabled the stolen vehicle, and Davis fled on foot while armed with a handgun. He was shot by Detroit Police officers and taken into custody.

Ballistics testing later confirmed that the firearm Davis was carrying as he fled was the same weapon used to shoot at ATF agents and the same firearm used in the earlier series of shootings.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Detroit Police Department, and the Michigan State Police. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew R. Picek, John Turrettini, and Jeremiah Smith.

###

ATF protects American communities from violent crime driven by the illegal use of firearms, explosives, and acts of arson. Through crime gun intelligence, forensic analysis, and relentless investigation, we identify and arrest violent offenders and gang members, dismantle trafficking networks, and sever the supply chains arming cartels, prohibited persons, and terrorist organizations. We defend the rights of law-abiding citizens by safeguarding lawful commerce and upholding the Constitution of the United States. Learn more about what ATF is doing to reduce violent crime in your community by following us on X @ATFDetroit, Instagram @ATFHQ, LinkedIn @ATF, and Facebook @HQATF, or on the web at www.atf.gov .