Michigan man charged with shooting at teen who knocked on door to ask directions

A Michigan man has been charged with shooting at a teenage boy who knocked on his door to ask for directions, authorities say.

Jeffrey Zeigler, 53, a retired Detroit firefighter, was arraigned Friday on charges of assault with intent to murder and possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony, according to a release from the Oakland County Sheriff's Office.

The victim, who is African-American, and his mother said they believe the shooting was racially motivated.

Bond was set at $50,000, and Zeigler was ordered to wear a GPS tether upon release, to undergo alcohol testing and to stay at least 10 miles away from the victim and refrain from contacting him.

Rochester High School freshman Brennan Walker, 14, told WXYZ-TV that he missed the bus Thursday and got lost while walking the 4 miles from his home to school. He knocked on the door of Zeigler's home in Rochester Hills to ask directions.

Brennan said he was met by a woman yelling at him. She called her husband to the door, and he had a shotgun.

Oakland County sheriff's deputies responded Thursday morning to a caller who reported that a black male was attempting to break into a house and that her husband chased him into the yard.

Police determined that the male homeowner chased Brennan into the yard and fired at him with a 12-gauge shotgun. They found Walker — unharmed — down the street.

Walker’s statement to police differed from that given by Zeigler, according to assistant prosecutor Kelly Collins.

“We do have the benefit of home security video,” Collins told the court Friday. He said Zeigler’s account was not borne out by the video.

“The victim in this matter, a 14-year-old child, indicated what had happened to the police and his version did bear out on that video,” he said.

The video was taken from Zeigler’s home security system.

Zeigler attempted to give an account of the events Friday at his court appearance which was via video from the county jail.

“There’s a lot more to the story than what’s being told and I believe that will come out in court,” he told Judge Julie Nicholson. “I was in bed yesterday morning and my wife came screaming and crying. ...”

It was there that Nicholson stopped Zeigler, whose attorney was not in court for the arraignment.

Brennan and his mother, Lisa Wright, told WXYZ that they believe the shooting was racially motivated.

“After watching the video and hearing the wife say ‘Why did these people choose my house?’ I knew it was racially motivated,” Wright said. “I don’t know what other ‘these people’ she could possibly have been talking about. He was by himself.”

Rochester Hills Mayor Bryan Barnett issued a statement addressing the incident:

“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," Barnett said.

He added that Rochester Hills has a "strong and unwavering policy when it comes to acts of hatred."

Zeigler faces life in prison if convicted.