Detroit Area Man Stabs Two After Asking Victims What Religion They Were...

[Webster]

....and all this time, I thought hate crimes occurred in one direction only...

(Washington Post) A Detroit man stabbed two people at a suburban bus stop after asking his victims whether or not they were Muslim, according to police. Federal authorities are now looking at the case as a potential hate crime, police said on Tuesday.

Both of the victims were standing at the bus stop outside of Detroit with the suspect on Saturday, Southfield Police Chief Eric Hawkins said. Several people there “engaged in conversation” until the suspect, identified by Hawkins as 39-year-old Terrence Lavaron Thomas, “asked some of the folks there if they were Muslims.” Two of them answered, the chief told The Post on Tuesday: They were not Muslims.

“[Thomas] was not not happy with that answer,” Hawkins said. Shortly after, “without provocation,” Thomas pulled out a 3-inch folding knife “and attacked one of them,” Hawkins said.

Both victims are in their early 50′s. One was stabbed five times in the attack. The other was stabbed in the hand as he tried to stop the attack, Hawkins said. Both were released from the hospital with “non-life threatening injuries.”

Thomas then fled the scene, Hawkins said. Police arrested him “within minutes.” He was carrying two knives — one of which appeared to be the one used in the attack — and some marijuana, according to Hawkins.

Although authorities have not made a statement on the suspect’s motive, Hawkins added that “we do know that he was not happy that [the victims] indicated that they were not Muslims.” Thomas “said that he was a Muslim,” Hawkins said.

Thomas was charged with two counts of assault with intent to murder, one count of carrying a dangerous weapon, and one count of possession of a controlled substance — all state charges.

Thomas could face a state charge of ethnic intimidation as well, Hawkins said, but county prosecutors were still determining whether it would be added or not.

According to the Detroit Free Press, Magistrate Eman Jajonie-Daman set Thomas’s bond at $1 million and scheduled a preliminary examination for March 4.

Michigan’s hate crimes law defines “ethnic intimidation,” a felony, as when a person acts “maliciously, and with specific intent to intimidate or harass another person because of that person’s race, color, religion, gender, or national origin.”

Hawkins added that the FBI has been contacted about the case, and are “looking at it as a potential hate crime” to determine whether federal charges are warranted.

 

[seasidemike]

Things are getting very fucked up

 

[Jazzy]

From another source

"The victims in this case said that the suspect asked them if they were Muslim," Hawkins said. "They responded that they were not, and then there was some back-and-forth between the victims and the suspect."

"We are getting indications through my officers that the suspect was somewhat incoherent afterward, and so there's a question about his stability," Hawkins said.

Thomas was arraigned today in 46th District Court on two counts of assault with intent to murder, one count of carrying a dangerous weapon with unlawful intent and possession of a controlled substance.

Looks like drug addict and/or a mental patient in that photo. The victims are the only ones saying he asked them if they were Muslim or not. Then there was some back-and-forth between the victims and the suspect. I'm not convinced from the article that this had anything to do with anyone being Muslim or not. For all we know, he was demanding money from them and they refused. Would like to hear testimony from the several other people standing around at that bus stop.

 

[MrDawn]

The guy sounds like an ass hole with an attitude problem. Hope he goes to prison and learns from his bad decision making.

 

[WHO IS SERAFIN]

God I hate the word hate crime. ALL CRIMES ARE HATE CRIMES! Don't need a law to make something a hate crime!

Anyways, the murdering fanatical Islam movement is bringing out the crazies everywhere just as they wanted.