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DETROIT (AP) — A federal judge who was shot in the leg acted heroically by trying to keep the assailants out of his home during an attempted robbery, a prosecutor said Friday.
Terrence Berg, a judge on the U.S. District Court in Flint, was shot Thursday night outside his Detroit home while retrieving a trash can.
"Two robbers demanded access to his home and he refused. That's when he was shot," U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade said. "He was very heroic. He's paid a price for it, but fortunately it's a wound to the leg. He's going to recover."
Berg was doing well after surgery but will require more surgery, said his wife, Anita Sevier.
"While this was a horrible incident that happened in Detroit, I don't want it used as a reason to hate the city," Sevier said in a statement. "Instead, we need to do something positive for the youth to help show them that there are better paths to take. I strongly recommend people be part of the solution."
The FBI is offering a $25,000 reward for information that leads to a conviction. No arrests were made. The suspects fled in a dark sedan, possibly a Dodge Charger.
"The investigation currently reflects that this may have been an attempted robbery, not appearing to be associated" with Berg's work as a judge or his earlier career as a prosecutor, the FBI said.
A friend, Patricia Montemurri, was visiting the home and had been escorted to her car by Berg just moments before the shooting.
"I pulled away and saw Terry taking a garbage can back toward the garage. I didn't see anything suspicious," said Montemurri, who later learned about the shooting.
Berg, 55, has been a judge for two years. He served as a federal prosecutor for two decades and was briefly head of the U.S. Attorney's Office in Detroit.
"He's very active in his community," McQuade said. "I doubt it will dampen his enthusiasm for the city of Detroit."
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