Crime

Rochester Hills Man Faces Two Felony Charges After Shooting at 14-Year-Old Student

April 13, 2018, 1:25 PM


Brennan Walker (Fox 2 News photo)

Update, 3:25 p.m. Friday: A 53-year-old Rochester Hills man is charged with shooting at a teenager who had said he was only seeking direction to school, Mike Martindale writes at The Detroit News.

Jeffrey Zeigler said he thought was breaking into his house.

Zeigler was arraigned on charges of assault with intent to murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and was ordered held on a $50,000 bond. A probable cause hearing is April 24.

"I feel so bad for this mom and young man and am incredibly angry at this disturbing event in our county," tweets Oakland Sheriff Mike Bouchard. "There is no world where this is acceptable."

Rochester Hills Mayor Bryan Barnett also issues a statement:

"Over the last 24 hours I’ve been working with the leadership of the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office and Rochester Community Schools and have been kept apprised of the terrible incident which occurred yesterday in one of our neighborhoods. While the City cannot officially comment on matters under investigation,

"I am personally sickened by the initial reports and they suggest behavior completely unacceptable and inconsistent with the character and values of our community. Our city has a strong and unwavering policy when it comes to acts of hatred. The key excerpt of that policy is referenced below and I’ve asked for it to be placed prominently on the City website as well. We stand by this position wholeheartedly and look forward to justice in this case. "  

Original article, Friday Afternoon

A 53-year-old Rochester Hills man is in custody after he chased a 14-year-old African American boy away from his porch, into his yard and fired a shotgun toward him, WDIV reports. The Rochester High freshman had knocked on his door to ask for directions to school, the Oakland County Sheriff's Office says.

Deputies came about 8:20 a.m. Thursday to the home in the 2200 block of South Christian Hills Drive after a caller said someone was trying to break into her home. 

"The caller reported that a black male was trying to break into her house and her husband chased after him into the yard. Upon deputies' arrival, it was determined that the husband chased after the male with a 12-gauge shotgun and fired a round toward the fleeing male. No injuries were reported," reads a statement from the Sheriff's Office.

Brennan Walker, 14, tells WDIV he woke up late Thursday morning and missed the school bus. He decided to walk to Rochester High School instead. But he started to lose his way and needed help so he knocked on the door.

A woman who answered the door asked why he was trying to break in and then a man appeared with a shotgun. He ran and the man fired, he said.

"After watching the video and hearing the wife say 'why did these people choose my house' I knew it was racially motivated. I don't know what other these people she could possible have been talking about. He was by himself," Lisa Walker, the student's mother, tells Scott Anderson of WXYZ.

"I didn’t want to believe that that type of stuff could happen here," says Brennan. "I don't know how you process getting shot at for asking for directions." 

Sheriff's investigators are reviewing home security video footage. 

"If someone is running from your house and chase them outside and shoot at them, you’re going to have criminal charges coming from us," Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard says in WXYZ's coverage.


Read more:  The Detroit News


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