A Michigan man, identified as Noah Syl Johnson, has been charged with multiple offenses including ethnic intimidation and making a threat of terrorism after an incident at a Pontiac gas station last Friday. Johnson, aged 28, is accused of entering the gas station with a lit cigarette, a gas can, and a book, and questioning the clerk about their religious affiliation, as reported by CBS News Detroit.
During the encounter, Johnson reportedly asked the clerk, "Hey man – where your Quran at? Whose side you on? Christian, or Muslim?" before spraying gasoline on various items and shelves. The Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office revealed, that despite the potential combustion hazard posed by his lit cigarette, Johnson exited the store without igniting a fire. Subsequent to the event, law enforcement found Johnson walking nearby still carrying the gas can. Upon approach, he allegedly brandished a large kitchen knife and attempted to evade police, according to ClickOnDetroit.
"This was an extremely dangerous situation for everyone in that store, and threats based on religion or race have a much wider impact on entire communities," Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald said in a release, cited by CBS News Detroit. Johnson, who resisted and obstructed the responding officers before being apprehended, was arraigned yesterday with a bond set at $50,000.
If convicted on all counts, Johnson faces up to 29 years in prison, including up to 20 years for the threat of terrorism charge. Besides the grave charges, McDonald took the opportunity to commend the deputies' courageous acts, stating, "I want the victims to know that we will never shy away from bringing the most serious charges available. And I applaud the bravery and skill of the deputies who arrested this individual and saved his life at great risk to themselves," in a statement shared by multiple sources including WXYZ.
