Rochester Hills Man Charged For Shooting At 14-Year-Old

ROCHESTER HILLS, MI — The 53-year-old Rochester Hills man who reportedly shot at a 14-year-old boy who came to his house looking for directions has been charged for assault with attempt to murder and possession of a firearm.

Jeffery Ziegler, a former lieutenant with the Detroit Fire Department, was arraigned Friday afternoon via video from the Oakland County jail and given a $50,000 bond, no 10 percent cash surety allowed. He was additionally ordered to have a GPS tether if he is released and must turn over any weapons to authorities. He’s not to leave the state of Michigan, must stay at least 10 miles away from the victim and his home, and was ordered to have mental health counseling.

The teen was reportedly lost on his way to school Thursday after missing the bus and was looking for assistance from nearby homeowners. When he knocked on a door at South Christian Hills Drive, a woman reportedly started screaming that he was trying to break into her house and Zeigler came at the boy with a 12-gauge shotgun, firing at the Rochester High freshman as he ran away. Authorities said the woman called 911 and said a black man was trying to break into their home.

The boy’s mother told local media she believed it was a hate crime. Ziegler says he was responding to his wife’s screams.

“There’s a lot more to this story than what’s being told,” he told Judge Julie Nicholson of the 52/3 District Court in Rochester Hills during his arraignment. Upon hearing his bond conditions, he pleaded with her: “I would really like to be able to stay in my home and keep my family together,” he said.

Nicholson told him bond conditions could be revisited at the April 24 probable cause conference.

Mayor Bryan Barnett issued a statement, saying he has been working closely with the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office and Rochester Community Schools as the situation unfolded.

“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,” Barnett said. “Our city has a strong and unwavering policy when it comes to acts of hatred …We stand by this position wholeheartedly and look forward to justice in this case."

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Image via Oakland County Sheriff's Office