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Navy Veteran victim of hate crime in downtown Omaha

Posted at 11:13 PM, Jun 27, 2017
and last updated 2017-06-28 00:13:01-04

A Navy Veteran had his car window smashed and was left a disturbing calling card on his car over the weekend.

26-year-old Delante Vinson, who currently works at Offutt Air Force Base, was out with a friend Saturday night. He left his car parked at a meter near 16th and Mike Fahey Streets.

“We walked back to my car and at first all I saw was glass around my passenger window,” said Vinson. “I thought someone broke into my car so I checked but nothing was gone.”

Vinson said when he realized everything was still in his car, he went to the driver’s side to check the rest of the windows. He then found what appeared to be a business card on the driver’s side window.

“I saw this side first, and I was like, ‘this looks like a club symbol, they must be promoting something,’ but then I flipped it over and read what it said and I said, ‘okay – this was clearly for me,’” said Vinson.

The card has a swastika symbol with the words ‘ALT RIGHT’ on one side. The other side reads, ‘America was 90% White in 1950. It’s now 60%. Make America great again.’ It also says ‘Trump is the first step. We’re the next.’ It then lists three fringe websites, one resembling a podcast blog.

“I read it and I didn’t say anything. I just gave it to my friend and she started crying and called the cops,” said Vinson. “I was trying to stay collected and not get mad.”

Vinson and his friend called police around 1:30 a.m. Sunday morning to report the crime, but were told it would be about two hours before police could make it out to his car. Vinson says they waited until about 3:30 a.m., but left after waiting for hours.

Vinson, who moved to Omaha about a month ago from Virginia, says he checked surrounding cars that night and didn’t see any other cars with their windows smashed or with the same calling card.

“I don’t even know anyone here. And so it feels like someone had to be watching me to know what my car was, who I was – because I don’t know anyone else here,” said Vinson.

Vinson took his car to the shop to get his window repaired Tuesday afternoon, but was told they couldn’t do it Tuesday due to the storm coming in late that night.

Vinson says he just wants to put this all this behind him and not carry any hate.

“I’m still numb to it. It’s just shocking that these things happen. But this isn’t going to stop. People will be ignorant,” added Vinson. “That’s why I chose to move forward and not retaliate and stoop to their level.”

 

3 News Now checked with local police to see if any other similar incidents had been reported in the area. Police said it appears to be an isolated incident.