Media reports offer glimpses into life of I-96 corridor shooting suspect Raulie Casteel; arraignment expected this afternoon
The suspect was expected to be arraigned Wednesday afternoon, according to a clerk at the 53rd District Court in Howell.
Joe Tobianski I AnnArbor.com
The picture from a Twitter account registered under the name of Raulie Casteel, the same name of the 43-year-old Wixom man arrested in connection with the I-96 corridor freeway shootings Tuesday.
Courtesy of Twitter
Details about the 43-year-old Wixom man arrested in connection with the I-96 corridor shootings in several southern Michigan counties continued to emerge from various media outlets Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.
The suspect was expected to be arraigned Wednesday afternoon, according to a clerk at the 53rd District Court in Howell. The clerk said it would likely be a video arraignment before Judge Carol Sue Reader. The court's arraignments generally start at 3 p.m. There were no other cases on the docket as of 1:45 p.m. A press conference is scheduled immediately following the arraignment, authorities said. It is unknown what the suspect will be charged with.
The mother of Raulie W. Casteel confirmed Tuesday that her son, who lived at the Wixom home raided by a multi-jurisdictional task force, was indeed the man arrested in connection with the 24 shootings, according to a Detroit Free Press report.
As of Wednesday morning, the Free Press was reporting Casteel was being held in the Oakland County Jail as federal and county prosecutors determined charges.
Both the Detroit News and the Free Press reported family members of Casteel say he has a history of mental illness.
The Detroit News spoke with Casteel's aunt, Cynda Warth of Owosso, who said Casteel was paranoid the government was after him.
A Twitter feed under the name of "Raulie Casteel" is peppered with far-right, anti-government and pro-gun sentiments.
On Sept. 28, a tweet in the feed read, "The 2nd Amend is an absolute — absolutely no compromises - I carry everywhere I go!"
On Oct. 1, a tweet read, "I want the arrest and impeachment of Barack Obamo. I've given the military the option of marching him out of the W.H. in handcuffs."
After numerous tweets on Sept. 28, Oct. 1 and Oct. 2, the feed is quiet until Oct. 24, when a simple, "Hoekstra for Senate" tweet is featured, the feed's last.
MLive reports that Casteel posted 47 times from his Twitter account between Oct. 1 and Oct. 2, nearly all political in nature. The last two shootings occurred on Oct. 24, one of which injured the first and only motorist. Between Oct. 16 and 18, when Casteel's Twitter account was not active, 22 shootings occurred, according to MLive.
Comments
BhavanaJagat
Thu, Nov 8, 2012 : 6:54 p.m.
Crime and Health : I like the cheerful person that is found in the photo image. We tend to separate crime from health and well-being. We do so, as we do not bother to define man as a whole person. His physical actions and behavior are related to aspects of his mental well-being, social well-being, moral well-being, and spiritual well-being. Unless we address the problem of man's well-being in relationship with the environment, and community in which he physically exists, we will not be able to prevent crime and criminal actions, and criminal behavior. To know Casteel, we have to define man and define the term health that is reflected in his actions.
dsponini
Thu, Nov 8, 2012 : 5:39 p.m.
No surprise now that we know who the shooter is and what he's all about. Someone who thought President Obama should be "perp walked" out of the white house in handcuffs and was seriously waiting for the military to do it. Delusional at best...
Tru2Blu76
Thu, Nov 8, 2012 : 7:17 a.m.
Oh, I do hope comments on this article are closed soon. Too many ideologues spouting their favorite lines and intentionally insulting the 99% of law abiding gun owners / licensees by associating the I-96 shooter with them. Purposely smearing one group of innocent fellow citizens isn't exactly the mark of intellectual integrity or of civility. Far right and far left is a recent phenomenon provoked by both political parties in recent years - using inflammatory rhetoric to "make a point" (not necessarily a legitimate one). Just a reminding: Lee Harvey Oswald was a pro-communist who attempted to move to the USSR (and even they wouldn't have him). So there goes the "far right is evil" argument. Sirhan Sirhan was an arabic / islamist who believed he was doing Allah's bidding. James Earl Ray was a southern white supremacist & small-time crook who was paid to shoot MLK. Those three assassinations made it possible to pass the Gun Control Act of 1968. That was the start of all this nonsense we're seeing today. - It's been kept rolling since then by just the kind of foolish inflammatory rhetoric seen here in these comments. It's apparent that the shooter in this case (Mr. Casteel) has built up an imaginary reality wherein he's decided to make himself look heroic to one group of ideologues. It's all in his head: that's the reality and, like many commenting here, he may never acquire the needed perspective on reality to settle down and be normal. Unstable people like to join groups to try to legitimize themselves - and typically, hotheads like that will join an ideological group be it liberal or conservative. Tells you something about the joiners AND about the groups they join.
dsponini
Thu, Nov 8, 2012 : 5:40 p.m.
Clowfish...you are spot on, and that is THE problem in this country. Divide and not conquer
clownfish
Thu, Nov 8, 2012 : 2:23 p.m.
Would love to know how I violated the rules by posting what actually occurs on radio and TV daily. The shooters "imaginary reality" is one projected by many conservative media personalities. They tell us daily that government is THE problem and the reason for the 2nd amendment is to remove tyrants, and Obama is a tyrant/dictator. For most people this is just rhetoric, but for someone on the edge it reinforces their mindset and could be what pushes them over an edge.
ottozrule
Thu, Nov 8, 2012 : 10:07 a.m.
@tru2blu76 "far right and far left is a recent phenomenon" - uh, NOT!
Radlib2
Thu, Nov 8, 2012 : 5:18 a.m.
No surprise he's a far-right, NRA zealot. If he were on the far-left, the government would have been after him, however.
Steve
Thu, Nov 8, 2012 : 2:30 a.m.
This never would have happened if everyone on 96 had a gun.
Jack
Thu, Nov 8, 2012 : 4:35 a.m.
Funny. Just picture the shootout.
clownfish
Wed, Nov 7, 2012 : 9:56 p.m.
Anybody surprised?
28's..andtheydon'trub
Wed, Nov 7, 2012 : 9:48 p.m.
American Terrorist smh....
harry
Wed, Nov 7, 2012 : 9:47 p.m.
This guy is a nut.
Dave
Wed, Nov 7, 2012 : 9:17 p.m.
OK but who was the "person of interest" we saw the sketch of?
Tlmk75
Thu, Nov 8, 2012 : 5:42 p.m.
I have always said the sketch must have not been too accurate, but how accurate could it have been when he was driving by the person who gave these descriptions? I would have never saw him and thought he was the guy, but if u put his pic next to the sketch u can see some resemblance!
OLDTIMER3
Thu, Nov 8, 2012 : 4:35 a.m.
With a hat on makes a person look different.I worked with a guy always wore a hat at work. One day he came up and asked me why I didn't answer when he said HI in the parking lot. I said you didn't, he took his hat off and it was no wonder why I didn't answer he was entirely changed person without the hay.Without the hat this guy could resemble the sketch more.
Macabre Sunset
Wed, Nov 7, 2012 : 9:34 p.m.
Wasn't that the guy who also guest starred in the convenience store video, but, while he was in the area of the shootings last week, checked out OK?
northside
Wed, Nov 7, 2012 : 9:27 p.m.
Good question. Maybe the guy that was interviewed earlier this week? He was a close match to the sketch.
Shannon
Wed, Nov 7, 2012 : 9:12 p.m.
I agree with CPLtownie 1000%. Not sure why anyone would vote that down, smh:/
Bubba43
Wed, Nov 7, 2012 : 8:25 p.m.
Good job to all who brought this arrest about.
music to my ear
Wed, Nov 7, 2012 : 8:14 p.m.
I am hopeful they got their man, because that is just no way to live, people should have the right to drive on the streets they pay taxes for, without the threat of gunfire about.kudos to all who work so hard to bring this to a peaceful end.and of course there are people making excuses for him.we already know someone who does that is not in their right mind and if it is he, he should do the max time.amen.
Billy Bob Schwartz
Wed, Nov 7, 2012 : 9:10 p.m.
Not sure why every statement these days has to include our paying for public roads, etc. People should be safe to drive on any street, even if it is in a subdivision paid for by the homeowners. The election is over. Now we can stop saying tax tax tax and become human again.
Dave Bass
Wed, Nov 7, 2012 : 8:10 p.m.
Kudos to law enforcement!
justcurious
Wed, Nov 7, 2012 : 7:55 p.m.
I'm hopeful the comments on here will not turn into an anti-gun rant. If this man is indeed the shooter then he needs some serious help, but not because he was a gun owner.
Belgium
Thu, Nov 8, 2012 : 4:16 a.m.
It's HIPAA.
northside
Wed, Nov 7, 2012 : 9:24 p.m.
@ Brad: LOL.
CPLtownie
Wed, Nov 7, 2012 : 8:43 p.m.
Depends on whether or not he was ever treated for a mental illness. On the 4473 federal gun purchase form, there are questions specifically there asking about mental health - which the person applying for the gun fills out. This is why HIPA rights should be voided when people are applying for gun ownership. If during a NICS check the persons mental health record was also checked, perhaps that would prevent a legal acquisition of a gun that much harder. Same thing with CPL's. Applying for a CPL, HIPA regulations should not apply. Period. Owning a gun is a rightful privilege, but only if you're mentally able to handle it.
justcurious
Wed, Nov 7, 2012 : 8:23 p.m.
Enso, we've heard he had problems but was he ever treated? Or is it just people who knew him saying it? If he was treated, I'm not sure what responsibility the system would have.
Enso
Wed, Nov 7, 2012 : 8:19 p.m.
No, the question is, how does a guy like this even legally carry a gun.
Brad
Wed, Nov 7, 2012 : 8:18 p.m.
I guess being that he was SHOOTING AT PEOPLE would make being a gun owner sort of significant.
Mohawk
Wed, Nov 7, 2012 : 8:13 p.m.
I agree -- everyone should drive around in bullet proof Hummers with machine guns mounted on top...that's the America for me!
JGS
Wed, Nov 7, 2012 : 7:41 p.m.
Oh Sparty... stick to couches. Nice work by the law enforcement officials on this case.
Tlmk75
Wed, Nov 7, 2012 : 7:15 p.m.
So glad he is where he needs to be!
Tlmk75
Thu, Nov 8, 2012 : 5:44 p.m.
Off the street is where he needs to be! No matter if it's jail or some sort of facility!
Halter
Wed, Nov 7, 2012 : 8:34 p.m.
He's actually NOT where he needs to be. He needs some time on the 6000 unit and he needs to be correctly medicated. I hate when people just jump to conclusions like jail being the best option for mentally ill people.
djm12652
Wed, Nov 7, 2012 : 7:58 p.m.
Way to go with the old "innocent until proven guilty" credo....