DETROIT – A 17-year-old is accused of targeting a 64-year-old man on a dating app and stabbing him to death at a home on Detroit’s west side.
Ahmed Al-Alikhan is being tried as an adult on murder charges.
Howard Brisendine reportedly went to pick up the teen and brought him home, where he was stabbed to death.
The teen then reportedly left in Brisendine’s car.
The victim’s brother, Harvey Brisendine, said what happened was a hate crime. In late September, Brisendine was contacted by Detroit police to go identify his brother’s body.
“We were able to identify him from a tattoo on his arm,” Harvey Brisendine recalled. “His face was all black.”
It’s believed Howard Brisendine was killed on Sept. 24 at his home on Minock Street.
Luis Mandujano lives across the street from Howard Brisendine, who worked the door at Mandujano’s bar. He went to check on Brisendine when he didn’t show up for work. His car was missing.
“I opened the front door and there he is,” Mandujano said. “I immediately closed the door because it was shocking.”
Police later found Brisendine’s car with Al-Alikhan driving it. Authorities said the teen had no ties to the 64-year-old, but that he contacted Brisendine on a dating app. Police said he not just contacted him, but targeted him.
Police said it’s very likely that what happened could be a hate crime. The teen reportedly made it clear publicly that he hates people in the LGBTQ+ communities.
“We did find on a couple of social media sites where he referred to himself as someone who is anti-LGBTQ,” said Cmdr. Rebecca McKay. “It’s chilling.”