Man arrested for mosque desecration

According to the Oakland County Sheriff's Office,
Ryan Lee Ahern, 33, smashed the glass of a front
 door at a Muslim community center earlier this
month.(Oakland County Sheriff's Office)

A white man arrested for mosque desecration 

The Oakland County Sheriff believes the vandalism was a random act, and not a hate crime.

By Edward Era Barbacena

A white  man is being accused of vandalizing a Rochester Hills mosque.

According to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, Ryan Lee Ahern, 33, smashed the glass of a front door at a Muslim community center earlier this month. Ahern was arraigned on Saturday and posted a $1,000 bond to get out of jail.

The Oakland County Sheriff believes the vandalism was a random act, and not a hate crime.

“Anyone that damages property we will vigorously investigate and hold accountable,” Sheriff Michael Bouchard said. “I commend our detectives on quick and good police work locating and arresting this individual.”

Aherns was identified by detectives using surveillance video from the center. Detectives believe he used a hammer to break the glass.

He was arrested on Friday without incident at his home.

A similar act of vandalism happened at the Walgreens Drug Store on Crooks Road in Rochester Hills at the same time as the community center was damaged.

The store’s drive-thru window was smashed in two spots. The two buildings are about a quarter mile apart from one another and one mile from Ahern’s home.

At this time, detectives have not linked Ahern to the Walgreens vandalism.