The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has reportedly been called in to help the Knoxville Police Department (KPD) solve a pressing case involving a banner being left outside the Knox Pride Center.
On Monday morning, according to a police report filed by a complainant named John Camp, someone hung a banner outside the Knox Pride Center reading “Kill Count 3 Whites Kids 3 White Adults.”
That message, which apparently references the killing of six people at The Covenant School in Nashville by Audrey Elizabeth Hale, who identified as transgender, has been labeled “anti-trans.”
Under “Bias Motivation” on the report, “Transgender” is listed.
The report says two East Tennessee Proud Boys stickers were also left at the scene.
According to the report, a crime lab, though it is not specified, “responded and processed the scene,” and authorities are looking for a maroon sedan that may have been in the area at the time of the incident.
The report says that the investigation is for the crime of “intimidation.”
KPD Spokesman Scott Erland did not elaborate when contacted Tuesday by The Tennessee Star.
FBI Public Affairs Officer Darrell DeBusk of the Knoxville Field Office directed The Star to KPD for questions and failed to respond to further inquiries.
According to Tennessee’s Code of Criminal Offenses § 39-17-309:
A person commits the offense of intimidating others from exercising civil rights who:
(1) Injures or threatens to injure or coerces another person with the intent to unlawfully intimidate another from the free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured by the constitution or laws of the state of Tennessee;
(2) Injures or threatens to injure or coerces another person with the intent to unlawfully intimidate another because that other exercised any right or privilege secured by the constitution or laws of the United States or the constitution or laws of the state of Tennessee;
(3) Damages, destroys or defaces any real or personal property of another person with the intent to unlawfully intimidate another from the free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured by the constitution or laws of the state of Tennessee; or
(4) Damages, destroys or defaces any real or personal property of another person with the intent to unlawfully intimidate another because that other exercised any right or privilege secured by the constitution or laws of the United States or the constitution or laws of the state of Tennessee.
Knox Pride responded to the incident, noting that it is National Transgender Awareness Week.
“This morning, we arrived at the center to find some hateful anti-trans rhetoric on a banner hung across our windows and door and some stickers from a local hate group,” the group reportedly said. “These items were removed in a matter of minutes and no permanent damage was done to the center. We are working with authorities and taking measures to ensure the safety of Knox Pride staff, volunteers and everyone who seeks services or attends events at the Center.”
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Pete D’Abrosca is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Pete on Twitter/X.
Photo “Transgender Flag” by Ted Eytan. CC BY-SA 2.0.
