Federal agents say a 19-year-old Ann Arbor resident was temporarily detained after last Friday's search of his home turned up what they describe as an illegal machine-gun conversion device, ammunition, and a stolen AR-style pistol. Investigators say they tied an Instagram handle to the suspect and point to posts from that account that appeared to brag about shootings, including a December incident in Detroit. A federal preliminary hearing in the case is scheduled for June 22 in Detroit.
Search, seizure and posts linked to a Detroit shooting
According to ClickOnDetroit, investigators with the ATF, Homeland Security Investigations, and local police executed a warrant at the Ann Arbor home. Inside, agents say they found a machine-gun conversion device and a yellow magazine loaded with 30 rounds next to an Anderson Manufacturing AM-15 that was partly disassembled on a bed.
Meta records allegedly tied the Instagram username "@Armizey" to the house and to photos that appeared to show firearms, bags of loose conversion devices, and suspected narcotics. A private Instagram story posted on December 19 carried a caption that a 911 caller later referenced, according to the station. Ballistic evidence from the Roselawn shooting was entered into the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, or NIBIN, and the outlet reports that casings were linked to at least five shootings across southeast Michigan.
How conversion devices and ballistics link investigations
Federal authorities treat conversion devices such as auto-sears and so-called "switches" as machine guns under U.S. law, meaning simple possession or trafficking can bring federal charges. The ATF explains that auto-sears are designed so a firearm can fire more than one round with a single trigger pull, which puts them under the federal definition of a machine gun.
NIBIN, a nationwide database run by the ATF, uses high-resolution digital images of cartridge casings to generate investigative leads. By comparing markings on those casings, the system can help connect a recovered firearm or casing to multiple crime scenes in different jurisdictions, which is how investigators link seemingly isolated shootings across city lines. More details on that program are available from the ATF.
Michigan law and enforcement reaction
Michigan law broadly prohibits machine guns and devices intended to convert semiautomatic firearms to fully automatic fire, and state officials have publicly pushed back against efforts they say would increase the distribution of those parts. Giffords outlines the state code's ban, and the Michigan attorney general's office has previously challenged federal moves related to redistributing certain conversion devices, arguing such steps would undermine public safety.
Court date and what’s next
Court documents identify the suspect as 19-year-old Armon Carleton Daniel. Authorities say he waived his rights and told agents the Instagram account was his, then denied possessing firearms and ended the interview when agents confronted him with images from the account, ClickOnDetroit reported. Daniel was temporarily detained and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on June 22 at 1 p.m. in federal court in Detroit as the investigation continues.
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