Man accused of unprovoked assault of 81-year-old German man in Downtown Detroit
Lawrence Gilchrist during his arraignment in Wayne County court.
DETROIT (FOX 2) - A man allegedly walked up to an 81-year-old man and assaulted him without being provoked on Saturday morning in Detroit.
According to the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office, Lawrence Deonte Gilchrist, 30, approached the victim in the 1000 block of Woodward Avenue around 10:15 a.m. and hit him. The victim, who is from Berlin, Germany and was visiting family in Detroit, suffered a head injury when he fell.
First responders found him on the ground and took him to a hospital for treatment.
Gilchrist was arrested and charged with assault with intent to do great bodily harm and aggravated assault.
During his arraignment, it was revealed Gilchrist had failed to appear in court for public intoxication charges.
"This was an unprovoked attack on a stranger from another country where he came up to him and he cold-cocked him," said assistant prosecutor Dinah Lynch. "The suspect simply walked up to him and immediately and violently attacked him."
Prosecutors requested the judge order Gilchrist remanded to court based on a history of mental health issues and failing to appear on other charges. He was given a $50,000 cash surety bond.