Detroit man charged in unprovoked assault of 81-year-old German man, officials say
(CBS DETROIT) - A 30-year-old Detroit man has been charged in connection with the alleged unprovoked assault of an 81-year-old man who was visiting from Germany.
Lawrence Deonte Gilchrist was charged with assault with intent to do great bodily harm and aggravated assault, according to the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office.
At 10:14 a.m. on Saturday, officers responded to a building in the 1000 block of Woodward Ave. after receiving a report of an assault.
When they arrived, they found the victim on the ground with a head injury. He was taken to a local hospital for treatment.
Officials say Gilchrist allegedly approached the victim without being provoked and hit the man, which caused him to fall over and hurt his head. The victim was visiting Detroit from Bremen, Germany,
Gilchrist was arraigned Tuesday and given a $50,000 cash bond. If released, he must wear a GPS tether. A bond redetermination is scheduled for Sept. 12.
His probable cause conference is scheduled for Sept. 17, and his preliminary examination is scheduled for Sept. 24.
"A lot of work has gone into making our city a welcoming beacon to all, only to have the alleged horrific actions of this defendant deeply tarnish these efforts," said Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy. "But much more importantly, 81-year-old Dieter Kirsch must pay the undeserved price of what the defendant decided to do. This is heartbreaking on so many levels."
