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Suspect arrested in racist vandalism case in Warren, will be charged with ethnic intimidation

Posted at 6:00 AM, Sep 30, 2020
and last updated 2020-09-30 18:28:01-04

WARREN, Mich. (WXYZ) — The Warren Police Department announced a man is in custody and has confessed to a string of racist vandalism incidents targeting a Black family earlier this month.

Police Commissioner Bill Dwyer said a 24-year-old man is in custody and expected to be charged with several crimes in the alleged incidents.

The man, Dwyer said, will face nine different charges, eight of which are felonies. Three of those charges are ethnic intimidation, he said.

"We do not tolerate any type of crime, particularly racist terrorism," Warren Mayor Jim Fouts said during the press conference.

RELATED: Shots fired into home of Warren family targeted 3 times in racist vandalism

The suspect in the case had drawn swastikas on the family's vehicles, slashed their tires and later fired shots into their home. The family was targeted a total of three times, according to police.

Dwyer said investigators had worked for weeks combing the area to find the suspect, and the FBI also helped put up a pole camera.

On Tuesday, police executed a search warrant at the suspect's home and took him into custody. He was questioned and confessed to the crimes, Dwyer said.

Dwyer added that they found the clothing, masks and shoes worn by the suspect at the time of the alleged crimes.

He didn't get into details about a potential motive, but said it will come out in the arraignment and possible trial.