Shelby Township man charged with brutal attack on 76-year-old man

STERLING HEIGHTS, MI – A Shelby Township man was arraigned on felony charges for brutally attacking an elderly man who was on his daily walk in Sterling Heights.

Defrim Lazaj, 31, allegedly followed the 76-year-old man for kilometers, then attacked him from behind and punched him in the head and face multiple times. According to Macomb County Prosecutor Peter Lucido, several bystanders intervened, allowing Lazaj to flee.

Sterling Heights Police quickly arrested Lazaj.

“Our senior citizens deserve to feel safe and secure in their communities, and attacks like these are completely unacceptable,” Lucido said in a statement, also calling the incident a “brutal, senseless act.”

Lazaj was charged with assault with intent to murder and assault with a dangerous weapon. The magistrate judge set bail at $500,000 and Lazaj faces life in prison if convicted.

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