A black 14-year-old boy who got lost in a Detroit suburban neighborhood while trying to get to school was shot at by a white homeowner after knocking on a door to ask directions, prosecutors said Friday, citing home security video and the account of the boy. Jeffery Zeigler, a retired Detroit firefighter, was arraigned Friday on charges including assault with intent to murder, per the AP. Oakland County sheriff's deputies were called to Zeigler's Rochester Hills' home about 8:20am Thursday after a woman told 911 that her husband had chased a black male who tried to break in. Deputies learned that a shot had been fired and found Brennan 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. Walker has said he woke up late Thursday, missed his school bus, and became lost in the Christian Hills subdivision while trying to walk the bus route to Rochester High School. When he knocked on the door to Zeigler's home, Walker said a woman inside began yelling "'why are you trying to break into my house?'" he told WJBK-TV. "I was trying to explain to her that I was trying to get directions to Rochester High and she kept yelling at me. Then the guy came downstairs and he grabbed the gun. I saw it and started to run. And that's when I heard the gunshot."
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