ST. CLAIR SHORES, MI – A Michigan man is lucky to be alive Monday after someone bombed his home with no warning and no regard for life.
He claims the violent attack is directly related to his political beliefs and the pro-Trump signage outside his St. Clair Shores home.
It is all captured on surveillance video.
Shared by local news station WDIV Detroit Channel 4 News, the footage shows a man approach the home, light and throw some sort of device and then take off running. The edge of the frame shows the explosion and debris raining on to the lawn, seconds later.
The homeowner told local media outlets that the attack happened early December 5th, just after midnight.
Asking not to be identified as police actively investigate the crime, he told WDIV Detroit Channel 4 News that he was upstairs with his girlfriend when he heard two separate, loud explosions. He ran downstairs, and was shocked by what he saw. He said:
“The explosion went off, and it kind of sounded like a transformer, I guess, from a powerline. Then, another explosion went off and it shook the house. Smoke was filling the house. I went up told her to get out the house, ‘Grab the dog and get out of the house.’”
In the aftermath, the homeowner found a large hole in his living room floor. He described the damage:
“When we came outside, we noticed the whole window. It was completely blown out, smoke coming out. I didn’t know if the house was on fire or what was going on.
I saw a truck racing down the road. When the police showed up, they went in. Luckily, it didn’t catch fire but the actual implosion of the mortar, it did some serious damage.”
Media outlet Zero Hedge reported that the second explosive device damaged cars in the homeowner’s driveway. Combined, the two firebombs appear to be a serious attempt to injure or kill.
He believes he became the target of what seems like a hit job, tied to his support of President Donald Trump.
The unnamed victim told WDIV Detroit Channel 4 News that he thinks the motive for the attack is this:
“Some people say because I’m a pretty avid Trump Supporter. I always have my sign up.”
Shown in video of some of the news coverage following the attack, a sign on the man’s fence reads:
“Trump 2020, F**k your feelings.”
Why a simple sign in support of the U.S. President would be the tipping point for someone to launch an explosion is still a mystery.
As of Monday afternoon, St. Clair Shores Police officers were still searching for the person caught on camera throwing the bomb. They are asking anyone with information to call the police department at 586-445-5300.
In the meantime, the homeowner is offering his own incentive for someone to come forward. He has offered a $10,000 reward for anyone with information on the bombing or the person who did it.
He told WDIV Detroit Channel 4 News:
“We were really scared. I mean when you feel your house shake and explode and smoke, you don’t know what’s going on. I mean, it’s worth it to me to find out who’s trying to catch my house on fire and possibly kill me.”
The homeowner told local media outlets that police are actively investigating the wild crime in the small town just Northeast of Detroit.
On Twitter, a user named Mrs. Rhoads, posted in response to a Fox News article on the firebombing:
“Absolutely not acceptable. Violence towards anyone due to their political beliefs should never be acceptable.”
Absolutely not acceptable. Violence towards anyone due to their political beliefs should never be acceptable.
— Mrs. Rhoads (@EdEmRhoads) December 7, 2020
Here’s more from Law Enforcement Today on other attacks on Trump supporters:
Biden supporters busted in three states for violent attacks on Trump supporters
November 12, 2020
HARLINGEN, TX – Authorities in this South Texas border town have arrested a Biden supporter over the weekend after he assaulted Trump supporters with eggs and then threatened them with a knife.
The Harlingen Police Department’s Facebook page read:
“According to witnesses, a prayer group for President Trump was meeting on the grass lot on A [Street] and Jackson Street when a male subject, later identified as John Rivas, began throwing eggs at the group.
When the group addressed Rivas and asked him to stop, he displayed a knife.”
Rivas fled the scene but was reportedly located quickly. He struggled with officers during arrest, but was taken into custody without officers getting injured.
The act, however, resulted in charges of resisting arrest and disruption of a meeting in addition to the original assault charge. Police also recovered a brown serrated kitchen knife believed to be the weapon used in the incident.
Harlingen PD also said:
“Two adult females, Marilyn Lopez and Miliannie Ortiz-Ruiz, were also arrested for disruption of meeting as they were with Rivas during the incident and were screaming insults at the crowd of Trump supporters during the investigation.”
Courtesy of Harlingen Police Department
A Harlingen resident posted a video that shows Rivas resisting arrest. One of the female suspects is shown spitting on police officers trying to arrest Rivas.
On election day, a man was arrested after assaulting voters in Barnstable, Massachusetts. A 32-year-old man from Cotuit, MA was arraigned after physically assaulting a 69-year-old man who was holding a “Trump 2020” sign.
The younger man grabbed the sign from the man’s hands, threw it to the ground, and then shoved the man with both hands. The younger man then fled the scene in his pickup truck.
Bladen Tisdell, a 32-year-old from Cotuit, Massachusetts, faces charges of assault and battery on a person over 60 years old and disorderly conduct, according to the Barnstable Police Department. https://t.co/ULAfEUvykv
— NBC10 Boston (@NBC10Boston) November 4, 2020
The suspect, Bladen Tisdell, was stopped by Barnstable police a short time later in a grocery store parking lot. Tisdell was arrested and charged with assault and battery on a person over 60 years old and disorderly conduct.
Barnstable Police arrested 32-year-old Bladen Tisdell of Cotuit this afternoon. He’s accused of assaulting a 69-year-old man who was holding a Trump 2020 sign. Full details in the news release below. pic.twitter.com/IvhYGV0hQr
— Mike Saccone (@mikesacconetv) November 4, 2020
And again in Massachusetts, a 73-year-old Vietnam veteran was assaulted by a young woman as he was holding a Trump sign.
Kiara R. Dudley, 34, of Douglas, MA was reported to have engaged physically with an elderly couple, also from Douglas, as the couple participated in a small group rally around noon last Saturday.
The Douglas Police Department released a statement on the matter:
“Upon arrival, officers learned that a couple from Douglas was located at the intersection promoting Donald Trump with their flags and signs.
“Approximately 30 minutes after they arrived, they were approached by a party opposing their support and began to berate them with insults and demanded that they leave.”
The couple evidently attempted to move away from the other party, but Kiara Dudley continued to follow them. The woman then bumped the man, police said.
“At one point the party stepped on the victim’s ‘Veterans for Trump’ sign and, as he bent over to pick it up, the party knocked him to the ground causing an injury to his finger.”
Dudley was charged with assault and battery on an elderly person causing injury.
73-year-old Donald Trump supporter assaulted in Douglas https://t.co/9iqhgDVsnf It’s always a fat chunky nasty one like Kiara R. Dudley
— Rachel Ellise (@Randomarticlez) October 18, 2020
In June, a 27-year-old Massachusetts man got out of his vehicle in the roadway and violently assaulted an 82-year-old man.
The elderly man from Fall River, MA had on his Trump gear and a sign when a man charged out of his vehicle and ran toward him.
He demanded that Charlie Chase give him his Trump sign.
Fall River Man Allegedly Assaulted 82-Year-Old Trump Supporter https://t.co/O0tHjYHtPc pic.twitter.com/Y0A918azms
— WBZ | CBS Boston News (@wbz) June 5, 2020
Chase recalled what happened, as told to WPRI-TV of Providence, RI:
“The guy, when he came at me, I had never seen a horror story… that the face was so filled with hate and anger, as his was.”
Chase said everything happened so fast, he had to ask his buddy what happened.
“According to the other fella that was with me, I didn’t know that [the suspect] had lifted me up, but he apparently lifted me up and flung me down on my back to the ground.”
Aidan Courtright, 27, of Fall River, grabbed Chase’s Trump sign, tore it in half, and threw it on the ground. He then shoved Chase to the ground and kicked him in his ribs and head.
Fall River man accused of attacking 82-year-old Trump supporter.https://t.co/ncv0TarVEN via @jgregoryperry
— Providence Journal (@projo) June 4, 2020
Courtright was charged with a civil-rights violation with injury, assault and battery on a person over 60 years old, vandalism of personal property, and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.
President Trump weighed in on the assault.
Awful.
An 82 year old wearing a Trump hat was attacked by a leftwing nut job in Massachusetts. All political violence is wrong, but what kind of person commits violence against an elderly man?
If anyone has contact info for the victim please send my way.pic.twitter.com/NuOjnxbxhW
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) June 5, 2020
