The FBI has searched a house in South Carolina after a white couple allegedly put up a cross that faced their Black neighbors and set it on fire.
On Wednesday morning, federal agents searched the house of 28-year-old Worden Butler and 27-year-old Alexis Hartnett in Horry county for a “civil rights investigation involving allegations of racial discrimination”, WBTW reports the agency saying.
According to Horry county police reports reviewed by WPDE, between 23 and 24 November, Butler and Hartnett, who are white, allegedly harassed and stalked their neighbors, who are Black, with “racially motivated words and actions”.
In one incident, Butler and Hartnett reportedly erected a cross that faced their neighbors’ privacy fence. “The cross was facing the victims’ home and the suspect set the cross on fire,” a police report said.
The neighbors have been identified as Shawn and Monica Williams, WMBF reports.
Speaking to the outlet, Monica Williams said, “There was a cross burning about eight feet from our fence … We were speechless because we’ve never experienced something like that.”
“He’s blatant with the N-word … He’s chased off our surveyors. He’s chased off people from the water and sewer department,” she added.
Butler was also accused of publicizing the Williamses’ location on Facebook by posting a picture of their mailbox which has their address posted on it, one of the police reports said. It added that Butler posted on Facebook that he was “summoning the devil’s army and I don’t care if they and I both go down in the same boat”.
Following the alleged cross-burning incident, the Williamses said they were afraid that Hartnett and Butler “may escalate their behavior beyond cross burning” and added that their behavior was becoming “more frequent and threatening”, according to a police report reviewed by CBS.
Butler and Hartnett were charged with second-degree harassment. Hartnett also faces charges of third-degree assault and battery, WBTW reports after reviewing jail records.
In a statement released last week by the Horry county police chief, Joseph Hill, condemned the reported actions of Butler and Hartnett, calling them “appalling and unacceptable”.
“Such hate and harassment will not be tolerated in Horry county,” he said, adding: “The individuals responsible will be held accountable for their actions and the hurt they have caused the victims and the greater Horry county community. In concert with our local and regional partners, we will pursue justice to the fullest extent of the law.”
In a statement reported by WBTW, FBI special agent in charge Steve Jensen said, “We are working jointly with the US attorney’s office, as well as our local and state partners, to thoroughly examine this matter, and we’re dedicated to ensuring equality and fairness within our communities.
“As this is an ongoing investigation, additional details cannot be provided, but rest assured, we are dedicated to this matter and the civil rights of all Americans,” he added.
South Carolina is one of two states – the other being Wyoming – without hate crime laws based on someone’s race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, age, national origin or physical or mental ability, according to the Associated Press.
