N-word spray-painted, SUV set on fire in possible hate crime at home outside Houston

Rasa - Authorities are investigating after a house and a torched SUV were found painted with racial slurs outside Houston early Friday.

News ID: 426307

Date: 05 January 2017 - 22:15

RNA - Authorities are investigating after a house and a torched SUV were found painted with racial slurs outside Houston early Friday.

The Harris County Fire Marshal's Office responded to a report of a vehicle on fire. They found the spray-painted messages at the scene in the 300 block of San Jacinto Street in Highlands, about 22 miles east of Houston.

"[N-word] leave" and "get out" had been painted on the SUV and house, according to a fire marshal's spokeswoman and photos the office posted to Twitter.

The fire marshal's office is asking the FBI to investigate the case as a hate crime, according to KTRK-TV in Houston.

The station reports that the homeowner is a black man who bought the house two years ago to make repairs and moved in earlier this year.

The man, who asked not to be identified, told the station that someone recently yelled a racial slur at him while driving by and he believes that a car intentionally tried to veer into him and his children as they walked down the street.

He said he does not plan to leave the neighborhood,  KTRK-TV reports.

The Highlands Fire Department was helping to clean and remove the paint.

The Houston-chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations released a statement in solidarity Saturday, noting that its national office has seen an "unprecedented spike" in hate incidents targeting Muslims and other minorities since the November presidential election. The homeowner's religion was not known.

"We condemn this racist vandalism, especially in light of the divisive atmosphere in our nation," said CAIR-Houston Executive Director Mustafaa Carroll. "It is unacceptable that these types of racially-motivated incidents still happen."

A Denton woman found a similar scene at her house two weeks ago but later said her husband  confessed to setting their pickup and motorcycle ablaze and spray-painting "[N-word] lovers" on the garage.

Authorities are seeking tips to help find the suspect in the Houston-area incident.

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