MLive reported John Benson Jr. was charged with first-degree murder in the Madison Heights Spirit Halloween shooting.

John Benson Jr., John Benson, and John Lashawn Benson are not the same printed name. 32000 John R. Road, 32065 John R Road, between 13 and 14 Mile, and near 14 Mile are not the same address. First-degree murder, first-degree premeditated murder, and first-degree premeditated homicide are not the same count line. Anthony Thompson III and the quotation "Anthony Thomas" are not the same name. The Fairfield, California Spirit Halloween shooting is a different case. Monday's arraignment is the charge.

MLive, by Dylan Goetz, published Nov. 3, 2026, at 12:35 p.m. with no zone printed on that line, reported a 21-year-old Oak Park man was charged with first-degree murder in the fatal Spirit Halloween shooting of Anthony Thompson III, and that Prosecutor Karen McDonald announced it. It reported John Benson Jr. was charged with first-degree murder and felony firearm, according to a news release from the prosecutor. It reported police responded around 2 p.m. at the Spirit Halloween in Madison Heights, 32000 John R. Road, on Oct. 30, found Thompson with multiple gunshot wounds, and that he was taken to a hospital and later died. WXYZ, by Christiana Ford, with no clock printed on the page retrieved, reported John Benson Jr., 21, was arraigned Monday and charged with first-degree murder and felony firearm in the shooting death of Anthony Thompson III, and that Madison Heights police found him with multiple gunshot wounds after the shooting inside the store around 2 p.m. The lede says a 21-year-old from Oak Park is facing life in prison. A later paragraph says first-degree murder is punishable by life in prison without parole, and that felony firearm carries a mandatory two-year prison sentence, served consecutively. Facing life, and punishable by life without parole, are not the same line. FOX 2 Detroit, by FOX 2 Staff, published November 2, 2026, at 7:10 p.m. EST, reported John Benson, with no Jr. and no middle name, and Anthony Thompson, 21, from Detroit, and that police say the two ran into each other at 2:04 p.m. at the entrance. It reported the charges as first-degree premeditated murder, punishable by life without parole, and felony-firearm, a mandatory two-year sentence served consecutively to the murder sentence. ClickOnDetroit, by Samantha Sayles, published November 2, 2026, at 6:46 p.m. and updated at 11:24 p.m., with no zone on those lines, reported John Lashawn Benson, 21, of Oak Park, and Anthony Thompson, 21, of Detroit, and one count of first-degree murder and one count of felony firearm. The Oakland Press, by Aileen Wingblad, published November 3, 2026, at 10:15 a.m. EST and updated at 11:43 a.m. EST, reported John Lashawn Benson, 21, and charges of first-degree premeditated homicide and felony firearm, in 43rd District Court. John Benson Jr., John Benson, and John Lashawn Benson are three printed names. First-degree murder, first-degree premeditated murder, and first-degree premeditated homicide are three count lines. Felony firearm and felony-firearm are two spellings. Anthony Thompson III, on MLive and WXYZ, and Anthony Thompson, 21, of Detroit, on FOX 2 Detroit, ClickOnDetroit, and The Oakland Press, are not the same identification. MLive does not print his age or Detroit.

The place is not one address. MLive prints 32000 John R. Road. The Oakland Press prints 32065 John R Road and calls the store a Spirit of Halloween. ClickOnDetroit prints John R. Road between 13 and 14 Mile Roads. WXYZ prints John R. near 14 Mile. FOX 2 Detroit does not print a street address. Around 2 p.m., on MLive, WXYZ, and ClickOnDetroit, just after 2 p.m., on The Oakland Press, and 2:04 p.m., on FOX 2 Detroit, are not the same clock. The footage account is not one account. MLive reported surveillance showed a crowded store, with multiple families and small children, and that footage shows Benson exchange words with another group, draw a concealed handgun, and shoot Thompson, and that after shooting him once he allegedly pursued him into the store, stood over him, and fired more shots. WXYZ reported the video allegedly showed Benson with a woman and two small children, leaving as Thompson and several family members entered, and that after an exchange of words he drew a concealed handgun and shot Thompson, then pursued him into the store, stood over him, and fired several more times. It does not print the word once. The Oakland Press reported the prosecutor's office said the video shows him leaving with a woman and two children when Thompson entered with several family members, and that after the two men exchanged words he drew a handgun and shot Thompson, pursued him into the store, stood over him, and fired several more times. Two small children, two children, and multiple families and small children are not the same description. A concealed handgun, a handgun, and, on FOX 2 Detroit and ClickOnDetroit, a gun, are not the same word. FOX 2 Detroit and ClickOnDetroit reported he shot Thompson several times near the entrance. They do not print the pursuit back into the store. ClickOnDetroit reported police said a 9mm handgun was recovered at the scene. That caliber is not on MLive, WXYZ, FOX 2 Detroit, or The Oakland Press. WXYZ and The Oakland Press reported prosecutors said Benson called 911 and told investigators he believed Thompson had a handgun and intended to shoot him, and that no firearm was found on Thompson. MLive, FOX 2 Detroit, and ClickOnDetroit do not print that 911 account. The children are not named.

WXYZ reported police said the victim and the suspect were acquainted and that they believe it was not a random act. FOX 2 Detroit reported police say the two men knew each other. The Oakland Press reported it is believed the two men knew each other. MLive does not print that. FOX 2 Detroit reported that while being arrested Benson was assaulted by family members of Thompson, was injured but expected to be okay, was taken to a hospital, and later returned to police custody. ClickOnDetroit reported he was taken to a local hospital after being assaulted by Thompson's family members while he was being arrested. The Oakland Press reported he remained at the scene, was assaulted by Thompson's family members, sustained injuries that were not life-threatening, was transported to another hospital, and was released to police. MLive and WXYZ do not print the assault. The Oakland Press reported Thompson was found inside the store and was transported in critical condition to Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital in Royal Oak, where he died. The other pages say a hospital and do not print that name. ClickOnDetroit, FOX 2 Detroit, and The Oakland Press reported no bystanders were injured. MLive and WXYZ carry McDonald's line that no one else was injured and do not print a separate bystander sentence. FOX 2 Detroit, ClickOnDetroit, and The Oakland Press reported bond was denied and that he is due back on Nov. 18. WXYZ reported the Monday arraignment and did not print bond or Nov. 18. MLive did not print an arraignment, a bond, or a court date. The Oakland Press reported he is in the Oakland County Jail and that the next appearance is in 43rd District Court. The others do not print the jail or the court. ClickOnDetroit reported his wife, whom the page names as Alanna and does not give a surname, said he fired in self-defense, that they were leaving with their three children, and that a man she said he knew reached toward his pockets. Three children, in that interview, and two children, on the prosecutor's account, are not the same number. The page prints a word in her quotation that is not repeated here. None of the police or prosecutor sentences used here is a self-defense finding. MLive, WXYZ, and The Oakland Press quote McDonald, "Anthony Thomas was shot several times and killed," in a statement that otherwise sits next to the name Anthony Thompson. Thomas and Thompson are not the same name. The same quotation says the shooting was in a store filled with children picking out costumes the day before Halloween, and that no one else was injured. Those children are not named. The counts are the charge. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.