An Ann Arbor man has been slapped with multiple charges, including attempted murder, following a duo of knife attacks that stirred fear in the community. Noah Williams, 21, is accused of slashing a woman on a city bus and threatening to end a man's life in a separate confrontation at a Target store.
Officials allege Williams violently slashed a 25-year-old woman across the chest aboard an Ann Arbor Area Transit Authority bus after a bump between the two escalated quickly. In an earlier incident on April 1, Williams reportedly held a knife to a 32-year-old man’s throat after a minor collision as they entered the Target store. "He would kill him," Williams is said to have uttered during the tense standoff, according to reports by clickondetroit. Authorities managed to quickly apprehend Williams after the bus encounter.
In the court proceedings that followed yesterday, Williams faced severe charges, including assault with a dangerous weapon and misdemeanor assault and battery for the store incident, according to information from The Detroit News. Adding to his legal woes, he was charged with assault with intent to murder and assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder or by strangulation for the bus stabbing incident.
Detectives are now working to possibly link Williams to even more violent acts. "Detectives are currently investigating the connection between this incident and prior felonious assaults involving a knife that occurred in Ann Arbor on March 27 and April 1," said the Ann Arbor Police Department, as reported by hoodline. These incidents add to a growing concern over a spate of aggressive encounters shaking the city residents' sense of safety.
TheRide, Ann Arbor's public transportation service, has expressed its dedication to passenger safety and pledged full cooperation with law enforcement in the ongoing investigation. The woman injured in the bus attack has been released from the hospital and is in stable condition. Williams remains in custody at the Washtenaw County Jail, his bond totalling a steep $1.5 million. His next court appearance is yet to be scheduled.
