Crime & Safety

McLean Police Commander Personally Investigates Complaint of Noose and Confederate Flag

Fearful Citizen Visited the Commander

A McLean resident visited McLean police commander Capt. Steve Thompson last week to complain about a Confederate flag and a noose hanging in a neighbor's yard.

Thompson didn't assign an officer to go out. The McLean police commander got in a police car and personally visited the neighbor.

Neighbors told McLean Patch the story and we asked Thompson. Here is his account:

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"A citizen visited me at the station Tuesday to complain about the presence of a Confederate flag and a hangman's noose hanging from a tree in a yard adjacent to Magarity Road. 

"I visited the home to observe the situation and sure enough a Confederate flag was flying from the garage and the noose was hanging from a branch. The fear instilled in the citizen who visited me was obvious and the perceived message was frightening.

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"We eventually made contact with the resident and asked that the noose be removed. He denied any racially offensive intent and immediately removed the rope from the tree."


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