Racial slurs spray-painted on Mississippi couple’s vehicles

SOUTHAVEN, Miss. (WREG) — An African American couple in Southaven said they woke up Tuesday morning to find racial slurs had been spray-painted on two of their vehicles.

The couple’s pickup truck had the n-word spray-painted on it twice. A car was painted with the phrase "Leave N******" and "Trump."

“This had to be unnerving for a quiet family to come out to their cars and see what they saw there,” neighbor Pastor Vincent McCaskil said.

Southaven Police are investigating the reported vandalism, and the FBI is also looking into the matter.

The couple didn’t want to speak with WREG about what happened and neither did most of their neighbors, but McCaskill said he couldn’t stay silent.

“It’s time for us as believers to truly speak up and speak out against it," he said. "We cannot remain silent against this."

Police are saying very little about their investigation, but McCaskill said whoever is behind the hateful messages failed to cause the offense they likely intended.

“I know who I am, and so, trust me, the words on those cars is not who I am, so I am in no way offended or moved by it,” he said. “We know our neighbors, we talk to our neighbors, a very diverse community, you know, so I don’t think this is an indictment of the community."

The public is being asked to report any information it may have about the incident to the police.

An email to the FBI Tuesday evening was not returned.