A Halloween display in front of an active-duty soldier's Fort Campbell, Kentucky, residence that featured effigies with black trash bags as heads hanging by their necks from a tree was removed Tuesday, shortly after base officials were informed of the decorations.
A photo of the display, first provided to ClarksvilleNow.com, appears to show a family of effigies — two adult-sized dummies hanging from a tree branch, a smaller dummy tied near the trunk, and a toddler-sized effigy standing on the ground, clinging to the adult male's ankles. The dummies hanging from the tree appear to have their hands tied behind their backs.
The toddler effigy appears to have a knife in its back; the knife, and the words on a sign around one of the dummy's necks, aren't clear in the image.
Base officials contacted the home's occupant and relayed concerns raised by community members, Fort Campbell spokeswoman Brendalyn Carpenter said in an emailed response to questions. The homeowner "willingly removed the decorations," Carpenter said.
The name of the active-duty soldier in the home was not released. The decorations had been put up the night before, Carpenter said.
"Personnel from the Installation Provost Marshal's office investigating the scene determined that the decorations exceed installation and community standards and should be removed," Carpenter said.
The homeowner apologized for "the impression left by the decorations," Carpenter said.
A Facebook post from a local TV station linking to a story about the incident had more than 10,000 comments as of Wednesday afternoon, most debating the display's racial overtones.
Facebook comments on an earlier version of an Army Times report on the incident claim the display represents the opening scene of the 2012 movie "Sinister."
In the film's scene, a family is hanged from a tree. No toddlers are stabbed, the individuals wear brown sacks instead of black, and none appear to have signs hanged from their necks.
Asked about a connection to the movie, Carpenter said that "while there was no discussion with investigators of the particular theme it represented, this particular decoration exceeded our community standards."
