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Burning cross found on lawn of airman

An airman at Scott Air Force Base, Ill., was the victim of a possible hate crime.

Police found a burning cross on the airman’s front lawn in the town of Belleville, just outside the base, on Dec. 8.

Neither the police nor base officials released the airman’s name, though a report in the Belleville News-Democrat cited a neighbor who said an airman and his wife lived in the home where the cross was burned.

A statement from the Belleville Police Department said the cross was about 5 feet tall, made of wooden two-by-fours. The bottom two feet of the cross were burned when police arrived on scene, and racial epithets were written on the cross in black marker, the statement said. A neighbor reported the crime to police while the airman was not at home.

“KKK” and “white power” were written on the cross, the News-Democrat quoted Police Chief William Clay as saying.

The FBI will assist in the BPD’s investigation of the incident, the police’s statement said.

Col. Al Hunt, commander of Scott’s 375th Airlift Wing, issued this statement on the matter:

“The cross burning incident is absolutely deplorable and not indicative of the true climate of the surrounding Scott communities. Local neighborhoods like Belleville and Shiloh have been enriched by Joint Total Force Scott’s diversity and have embraced every opportunity to welcome us, regardless of our race, religious preference, political party, or gender.

“Additionally, Scott Air Force Base is working with officials in the local community to prevent future occurrences like this. The safety and security of our service members both on and off base is always a top priority.”