Two of the nation’s more vexing domestic problems — deteriorating race relations and immigration — appear to have provided dual motivation for a crime that police in Charlotte, N.C, are now investigating. CBS affiliate WBTV has the details:
A man is wanted for setting fire to an Indian grocery store in east Charlotte Thursday night in what Charlotte-Mecklenbug police are calling a hate crime.
Police say fire was set to the Central Market, described as a Nepali Indian store, just before 10 p.m….
“A note was also left at the scene near the door that stated the suspect did not want any refugee business owners and that they would torture the owner if they did not leave and go back to where they came from,” CMPD said. “The suspect signed the letter ‘White America.'”
The store’s owner, Kamal Dhimal, a native of Bhutan, earned his U.S. citizenship just last year, telling reporters he spent the last 20 years in refugee camps. He also allowed as how his resolve remains strong despite this ugly assault on his livelihood.
Police tweeted out a still from a surveillance video of the man wanted for the crime. He is described as a black man around 5’8″ and 200 pounds with a short afro and goatee. The man was wearing a gray hoodie under a black coat, light jeans and black shoes.
