Ypsilanti man charged with ethnic intimidation and assault with a dangerous weapon
A 42-year-old Ypsilanti man accused of threatening a 24-year-old man with a knife in an Ypsilanti motel faces charges of ethnic intimidation and assault with a dangerous weapon.
Alan Samuel Adler, who is white, is accused of threatening the victim, who is black, with a knife at the Harmony House Motel, 615 E. Michigan Ave., Tuesday.
Ypsilanti Police Lt. Paul DeRidder said Adler is accused of screaming from the parking lot at the victim's second-floor hotel room window. He then went upstairs to the victim's hotel room, where the victim was, and began banging on the door, yelling racial slurs and threatening the victim with bodily harm, DeRidder said.
At one point, when the victim believed Adler had left, he opened his door to discover him down the hall, DeRidder said. Adler then moved toward the victim's room, DeRidder said, at which point the victim closed and locked the door, fearing for his safety.
No one was injured and the victim called police, DeRidder said.
Adler was previously convicted of assault with a dangerous weapon, fourth degree fleeing from a police officer, and assaulting, resisting and obstructing a police officer, causing injury, according to Michigan Department of Correction records.
DeRidder did not know if the suspect and victim knew each other. No further details were immediately available.
Adler is expected to be arraigned today. Heather Lockwood is a reporter for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at heatherlockwood@annarbor.com or follow her on Twitter.
Comments
Tru2Blu76
Sat, Feb 5, 2011 : 11:44 p.m.
I really doubt we're on the right track with talk about racism here: the aggressor is in the wrong, every single time. There is no justification for issuing verbal threats and THEN following up with armed aggression. The aggressor having a criminal record is actually irrelevant, except as confirmation that he IS a real threat to others. The person who was under threat here did exactly the right things: he avoided confrontation, he shielded himself and he called for police assistance. Violence prone people are habitual self-excusers: they always have a "reason" for initiating violence. Too bad they never figure out that the law as well as massive research and documentation (and cultural prohibitions) forbid initiating violence. We owe NOTHING to those who initiate aggression and violence.
xmo
Sat, Feb 5, 2011 : 6:03 p.m.
With the election of President Obama, I thought that we would be through with racism and hate crimes. I guess I was wrong. If someone is threatening you wiith bodily harm, I think they hate you?
The Black Stallion3
Sat, Feb 5, 2011 : 9:21 p.m.
I think a lot of people were wrong about what would happen after electing Obama, who would have ever guessed he would have been this bad for America?
jcj
Sat, Feb 5, 2011 : 1:07 p.m.
Not enough information here to make much of a judgment. Ethnic intimidation is a reality. But it should not be a one way street.
RJA
Sat, Feb 5, 2011 : 3:30 a.m.
I'll wait to comment when more details are available. (there is sure to be more) I don't like using the words (Black or White) we all have the same color blood in our human bodies. Glad neither were injured, but one seems to have quite a background. Per Michgan Department of Corrections.
KeepingItReal
Sat, Feb 5, 2011 : 12:35 a.m.
If the 24 year old would have defended himself and the police was called, guess who would have gotten charged. You guessed it.
The Black Stallion3
Sat, Feb 5, 2011 : 12:28 a.m.
I thought it was "Sticks and stones will break my bones but names will never hurt me" What ever happened to that?
Ricebrnr
Sun, Feb 6, 2011 : 12:51 p.m.
words mean things and can hurt...look at Egypt
lkmorgan
Fri, Feb 4, 2011 : 9:18 p.m.
I'm doubting that the 24 yr old was totality inocent here either. If they would've just fought it would've been mutal combat. But obviously the 42 yr old had a weapon and a record ! Who provoked who? Anybody know ???