Man arrested for firing at Troy church for being 'alien space ship'

TROY, Mich. (WJBK) - A man has been arrested after allegedly opening fire at a Troy church, then calling police with a concerning message.

Surveillance video shows a gunman driving to the front of Zion Church, pointing a laser and shooting out front window around 5 a.m. The bullet pierced through the glass and then hit the drywall, and the gunman drove off.

The timing was important - had it been just a little bit later, people could have been the path. 

"Our childcare was getting ready for 6 a.m. and people were coming in for 6 a.m. prayer. So we're very thankful that all of that was done with before people started coming in the building. Our primary concern obviously would've been the children and the adults also," Pastor Jared Wizner said.

The pastor and his staff were quick to patch up the mess and all operations are running as usual. The suspect was caught because of a strange phone call Troy police received after the shooting.

"In that telephone call he was talking very strangely about how the Zion Church is an alien space ship for reptiles kind of thing and so that call lasted about 30 seconds and that was the end of that," said Troy Police Capt. Bob Redmond.

Police traced the call around 5:45 a.m. to the 40-year-old suspect's home and arrested him at his home in Troy. Pastor is thankful no one was hurt, and he prays for the suspect who clearly is troubled. 

"My concern is obviously the mental health of the individual. I realize that people are confused and that this individual is confused and my heart goes out to him honestly. In anyway we can help I would want to help that person to understand whatever confusion is causing them to behave that way," he said.

If mental health is the issue, the suspect would be ordered to get help. If not, charges could be in line. 

"The illegal discharge of a firearm within in a city, he's in possession of a firearm illegally. There's multiple charges that could be filed," Redmond said.