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A 24-year-old man from Berkley was brutally beaten to death after a seemingly minor car crash on Detroit's west side early Monday morning. The crash and beating were caught on surveillance video from a nearby gas station.

Tyler Wingate is remembered for his contagious smile, good spirit, and loving character. His friends said that he was known for - before his life was violently taken early Monday morning.

Tyler was beaten to death after police said he got into an accident around 2 a.m. at Livernois and Davison.

Police haven't been able to say what caused the crash but say Tyler was driving a 2011 Buick Regal when he collided with a 2007 Chevy Impala.

Surveillance video from a nearby gas station showed the unidentified driver walk up to Tyler and punch him in the face. Several witnesses standing nearby watched Tyler drop to the ground.


Much of the video is too graphic to show, but, at one point, Tyler tried to get up but the punches and kicks continued.

A witness was able to pull the man off of Tyler, and the man even appeared to try to swing at that witness. Then everyone but Tyler walked away as they left him to die.

"It's terrible. It's terrible. That could be anybody's family member. You don't want that to happen to anyone," witness Juan Williams said. "It's unfortunate, very unfortunate. No one wants to see a life lost."

Tyler's friends said the young man came from a large, loving family and befriended and helped everyone he could. They said he moved to Detroit because he believed in the city and knew it would continue to rise.

A GoFundMe has been started in Tyler's name. It raised has raised more than $14,000

Now, friends say the entire city of Berkley is heartbroken as Detroit Police search for the suspect, who's been identified as 23-year-old Lawrence James Davis. They're unsure if he knew Tyler before the crash.

Detroit Police are asking anyone with information to call them or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP.