The white man who shot at black teen who asked for directions to school just got what he deserves

In these dark times, it’s nice to know that sometimes the system works exactly how it’s supposed to. Jeffrey Zeigler of Rochester Hills, a suburb of Detroit, was just sentenced to four years in prison for opening fire at a black teenager, who committed the truly despicable crime of approaching Zeigler’s house to ask for directions.

In early April, fourteen-year-old Brennan Walker missed the bus to school. His phone having been confiscated by his mother, he needed directions, so he went to the nearest house for help.

Instead of getting the help that he needed, he was met by a shotgun-wielding Zeigler:

“I got to the house, and I knocked on the lady’s door. Then she started yelling at me and she was like, ‘Why are you trying to break into my house?’ I was trying to explain to her that I was trying to get directions to Rochester High. And she kept yelling at me. Then the guy came downstairs, and he grabbed the gun, I saw it and started to run. And that’s when I heard the gunshot.”

While Ziegler’s wife tried to tell the police that Walker was “trying to break in,” the family’s own paranoia did them in. Their “Ring” electronic doorbell recorded the entire thing, making it clear to the police makes it clear that the boy was fired upon just for knocking on the door.

Ziegler only missed because he had failed to take the safety off of the gun, say police. The former firefighter has been charged with “Assault with Intent to Murder and Felony Firearms.”

Reflecting on the encounter, Walker told FOX 2 that “My mom says that, black boys get shot because sometimes they don’t look their age, and I don’t look my age. I’m 14; but I don’t look 14. I’m kind of happy that, like, I didn’t become a statistic.”

At his trial, Ziegler tried to argue that he had “slipped and accidentally fired the gun,” but the video evidence from his own house showed otherwise. For once, justice has been properly served.

Colin Taylor

Managing Editor

Colin Taylor is the managing editor of the Washington Press. He graduated from Bennington College with a Bachelor's degree in history and political science. He now focuses on advancing the cause of social justice, equality, and universal health care in America.