MT. MORRIS TWP. MI - Police are working to determine if the shooting death of a 17-year-old outside a car wash was self-defense.

Alerio Wilson was shot to death on June 27 outside a car wash and gas station at Pierson Road and Pierson Place in Mt. Morris Township.

"We're looking at the possibility if it was self-defense or not," said Chief Terence Green. "There was definitely a fight between those two."

A man who was in police custody was released last week after Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton said there was not probable cause to issue an arrest warrant.

Police said the altercation started in the nearby Suffolk Court apartments.

"They ended up in the same vehicle where they continued to fight from the parking lot of the apartments until they were at the Citgo gas station where the fight continued," Green said, adding that the suspect may have suffered from a possible gunshot wound to his hand. "Some video footage somewhat corroborates his story."

Officers responded to 911 calls at about 9:15 a.m. to Pierson Road and Pierson Place for reports of an altercation between two men. As police were headed there, more 911 calls came in for reports of shots fired.

When police got to Mattis Auto Wash, 3466 Pierson Place, they found Wilson dead near the doorway.

Green would not say what the suspect and Wilson were fighting about because it is still part of an on-going investigation.

"The suspect claims that the decedent was attempting to rob him," Green said.

Dominic Adams is a reporter for The Flint Journal. Contact him at dadams5@mlive.com or 810-241-8803. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook or Google+.