Man, 49, Woman, 57, vandalized Detroit skyscraper with slingshot, prosecutors say
The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office on Tuesday charged Ramzu Yunus, 49, of Highland Park, with malicious destruction of property in the July 19 incident at 500 Griswold St. Also charged with malicious destruction of property is Angela Tajuan Williams, 57, of Waldorf, Maryland.
At 4:45 a.m. on Saturday, July 19, the pair allegedly damaged the building's revolving glass door before fleeing, according to a news release from prosecutor Kym Worthy's office. No one was injured.
Additional warrant requests alleging Yunus and Williams vandalized two other Detroit buildings are under review, the prosecutor's office said.
The pair were arrested Saturday afternoon when Detroit police conducted a traffic stop on their vehicle downtown, at Madison and Witherell streets, the release said.
Officers saw Yunus with an empty holster on his hip and searched his vehicle, finding a handgun with ammunition and a slingshot with metal pellets, the release said. He's been charged also with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, carrying a concealed weapon, and two counts of felony firearm.
Yunus came under fire from Land Bank officials in 2021, after they said he convinced more than a dozen people they were entitled to free houses owned by the agency.
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Yunus told the media outlet Deadline Detroit at the time that he had issued thousands of 'deeds' and was proud of his efforts, advertised online as the 'Detroit Free Housing Program' by the 'Free Housing Department.' He said the campaign aimed to help Black Detroiters exercise their right to 'self-determination,' adding that many houses had fallen into Land Bank ownership after unjust tax foreclosures.
The Detroit Police Department opened an investigation at the time, but it's unclear what came of it. The agency did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.
District court records show he was charged in September 2021 with entering a vacant building without written authorization and that the proceedings stalled after he failed to appear for a hearing in 2022.
Court records show no attorneys for Yunus and Williams, and neither could immediately be reached at associated phone numbers.
A person who answered an associated number for Williams and identified himself as her brother said of the allegations, "That's not (like) my sister, she's been brain washed.'
'Obviously Detroit has an issue with housing' and 'in theory, (the free housing campaign) sounds good,' said Carlton Williams. 'But it's not a good thing to do, because you'll get arrested."
Violet Ikonomova is an investigative reporter with the Free Press. Contact her at vikonomova@freepress.com
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Middle-aged pair charged with vandalizing Detroit's Guardian Building
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