An Ann Arbor man has been charged with a brutal assault at a bus stop, with police alleging that the attack was entirely unprovoked. Donald Dashner-Shipman, 30, is accused of assaulting a 27-year-old man who was simply waiting for a bus on the evening of Jan. 15, FOX 2 Detroit reports.
The incident occurred near the intersection of Zina Pitcher Place and Ann Street, where Dashner-Shipman reportedly approached the victim and asked if he was waiting for the bus. Following the victim's affirmative response, Shipman is alleged to have flown into a rage, pushing and punching the man approximately 20 times, pinning him to the ground, and strangling him. The suspect was apprehended by Ann Arbor Police and transported to Washtenaw County Jail without further incident, as reported by CBS News Detroit.
Investigators are looking into alcohol as a possible factor in the violence, with the victim suffering facial injuries but thankfully, non-life-threatening injuries that were treated at a local hospital, according to ClickOnDetroit.
On Tuesday, Dashner-Shipman was arraigned on multiple assault charges, including "assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder or by strangulation," as well as aggravated assault. His bond has been set at a hefty $750,000. Notably, Dashner-Shipman has a history of violence and had been an absconder from probation after previously serving time for carrying a concealed weapon and assault/resisting/obstructing a police officer, as well as for domestic violence in 2017, as per FOX 2 Detroit.
Authorities stress the importance of the presumption of innocence in legal proceedings, while the community reckons with the shocking nature of such an unpredictable attack. The case continues to develop as Ann Arbor residents grapple with safety concerns on their local streets and bus stops.
