Michigan man arrested for shooting at teen who asked for directions

April 15 (UPI) -- A Michigan man was arrested Friday after he shot at a teenager who stopped at his house to ask for directions.

Jeffery C. Zeigler, 53, was charged with assault with intent to murder and possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony, the Detroit News reported.

"There's a lot more to this story that will come out," Zeigler said during an arraignment before pleading not guilty.

Brennan Walker, 14, told WJBK-TV that he overslept Thursday morning and missed his bus to school. He then attempted to walk the bus route from memory but got lost and stopped at Zeigler's house to ask for directions.

"I got to the house and I knocked on the lady's door. Then she started yelling at me and she was like, 'Why are you trying to break into my house?' " Walker said. "And I was trying to explain to her that I was trying to get directions to Rochester High. And she kept yelling at me. The guy came downstairs, and then he grabbed the gun, and I saw it and started to run. And that's when I heard the gunshot."

Walker fled the house and hid until police arrived. They arrested Zeigler after questioning him and Walker.

Walker's mother, Lisa Wright, who was at work during the time of the incident, said she was able to review security footage taken at Zeigler's home and heard his wife say, "Why did 'these people' choose my house?"

Walker is black and Zeigler is white.

"Who are, 'these people?'" Wright told WJBK-TV. "And that set me off. I didn't want to believe it was what it appeared to look like. When I heard her say that, it was like, but it is [what it looks like]."

Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said in a statement that "There is no world where this is acceptable."

"I feel so bad for this mom and young man and am incredibly angry at this disturbing event in our county, state and country," Bouchard said.

Ziegler was given a $50,000 bond and was ordered to surrender all firearms to the Oakland County Sheriff's Department, not use alcohol or controlled substances, agree to random drug testing and attend mental health counseling twice per week, according to the Detroit News.