TROY, Mich. - A 79-year-old Troy man is facing multiple charges after allegedly making threats of violence against four men offering to discuss Islam with the public outside the library on Saturday.

Investigators say the man told the victims that he hates Muslims, and reportedly threatened to kill them with a firearm. When police arrived, the man was carrying the loaded weapon and he was arrested without incident.


Police later discovered that the man reportedly has dementia and an established history of previous welfare checks related to his mental decline. He also is a CPL holder with 22 firearms registered in his name.

That prompted Troy police to file an Extreme Risk Protection Order petition to seize the man's weapons. A total of 19 firearms were recovered, according to police.

 The right to own firearms comes with an obligation to use them safely and responsibly,  said Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald in a statement.  This defendant's mental health issues and alleged actions make clear that he should not have access to deadly weapons. 

He is being charged with four counts of committing an aggravated hate crime, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and/or a $15,000 fine.

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