A tragic shooting in Center Line, Michigan, claimed the life of 38‑year‑old Erica Sanders on the evening of Tuesday, March 17, 2026. The incident occurred around 5:30 p.m. at a residence on Sterling Street near Van Dyke Avenue, where officers from the Center Line Department of Public Safety responded after receiving reports of gunfire. When they arrived, they found Sanders suffering from a gunshot wound inside the home.
Authorities confirmed that Sanders’s four children were inside the residence at the time of the shooting, adding another layer of trauma to an already devastating situation. Officers immediately attempted lifesaving measures, but despite their efforts, ambulance personnel pronounced her dead at the scene. Investigators quickly secured the area and began interviewing witnesses while gathering evidence from inside the home.
According to police and prosecutors, Sanders was shot by her boyfriend, 39‑year‑old Zachary Fuqua, who fled the scene after the shooting. The investigation revealed that Fuqua allegedly shot Sanders in the back of the head before escaping the residence. Officers launched a search that extended beyond the immediate neighborhood as they worked to locate the suspect.
Fuqua was later found and arrested near 10 Mile Road and Van Dyke Avenue, several blocks from the crime scene. He was taken into custody without further incident. Prosecutors subsequently charged him with second‑degree murder along with multiple weapons‑related felonies. Authorities have not released additional details regarding a possible motive, but court filings indicate that the children inside the home witnessed aspects of the violence.
The Center Line Department of Public Safety emphasized the gravity of the case, noting the emotional toll on the victim’s children and the broader community. Detectives continue to review evidence and statements as the case proceeds through the court system. The home on Sterling Street remained a focal point of the investigation for several hours as officers processed the scene.
Erica Sanders’s death has left her family and the Center Line community grieving the sudden loss of a woman remembered for her warmth and dedication to her children. As the legal process moves forward, loved ones are left to navigate the painful aftermath of a tragedy that unfolded inside a home meant to be a place of safety.