Armed man arraigned on hate crimes charges after allegedly threatening to kill Muslim men

Overview

An armed 79-year-old man, Peter Hamilton Northup—described as a retired optometrist with no prior criminal record—was arraigned in Troy outside District Court on allegations of hate crimes.

Charges

Northup faces four counts of aggravated hate crimes, which carry a potential 10-year felony penalty. Authorities allege he threatened to shoot four Muslim men outside the Troy Library while the men were inviting others to discuss their faith.

Arrest and Weapons Allegations

• Northup was reportedly arrested on site with a loaded weapon (described as one round in the chamber).
• Investigators reported seizing 19 weapons from his home.
• The court was also told that at least three registered firearms remain unaccounted for, leading the court to seek additional assurances regarding other weapons.
• When asked directly whether he had firearms elsewhere, Northup reportedly:
  • said he could not answer, and
  • stated he has dementia.

Mental Health Concerns Raised by Family

At the arraignment, the magistrate disclosed that Northup’s family had raised serious concerns about his mental well-being multiple times, including requests for police welfare checks on:

• July 10
• July 13
• September 11 (the day before the incident)

Victims’ Concerns

The alleged victims reportedly expressed fear and concern, including worries that:

• Northup may not be fully truthful
• his access to firearms posed a danger to the community
• children inside the library could be at risk

Court Outcome and Next Steps

• Northup was ordered held on a $500,000 cash/surety bond.
• He is scheduled to return to court on September 24 for a probable cause conference.

Presenters/Contributors

• Darren Cunningham (7 News Detroit)
• Javeed Ashraf (alleged victim)
• Magistrate (unnamed)
• Authorities/Police (unnamed)