Racial intimidation incident investigated

Razor blades, slur found on porch

Warren police are investigating what they suspect to be a racially motivated incident targeting a Black family on Stewart Avenue near Nine Mile and Hayes roads.

Candis Howard reported finding razor blades on her front porch with a racial slur and a message saying “you don’t know who you are dealing with” written on them. Her 9-year-old daughter reportedly found them on the family’s front lawn and brought them to the porch.

“I was shocked,” said Howard, who has lived in her Warren home for three years. “This is a quiet neighborhood and everyone just

goes about their business. We have never had anything like this happen.”

Warren police are currently processing the evidence and have canvassed the neighborhood as part of the investigation, which is ongoing. Howard said someone threw eggs at her house on Monday and she

contacted the police, but was told that they considered that type of activity to be a menace but not necessarily criminal activity. Two days later, the razor blades appeared on Howard’s lawn.

“I have not gotten any sleep,” said Howard. “What scares me is that next time it might not be an egg or some razor blades; it could be a brick or a gun.”

Since finding the razor blades, Howard has installed

security cameras and says some of her neighbors have reached out to her and told her they are watching for unusual activity in the neighborhood and keeping an eye on her house. She said the incident frightened her son and daughter and that she is trying not to speak of it in front of them.

Last September, another Black family was subject to multiple racially motivated attacks including having a rock thrown through

the window of their Warren home and having their tires slashed. Those attacks on the Hall family occurred on Tallman Avenue in the area of 10 Mile and Hoover roads. After a weeks-long investigation, Warren police arrested Michael Frederick Jr. who is currently facing eight felony charges including ethnic intimidation.

Warren police have not identified any suspects in the incident involving the Howard family at this time.