Two Accused Of Burning US Flags In Ogden Neighborhood
Jul 2, 2020, 8:08 PM | Updated: 8:13 pm
OGDEN, Utah – Police have arrested two men accused of setting American flags on fire in an Ogden neighborhood.
Bryan Nava and Hunter Hinds, both 19, were arrested Thursday, but have refused to talk to police about their alleged burning spree.
Homeowners said the vandalism will not keep them down, and some have already replaced their flags.
A “Thin Blue Line” American flag, which shows support for police, and a “Don’t Tread on Me” flag were also burned and residents found some graffiti.
Vandals torch multiple american flags in one neighborhood. Ogden police say they also left graffiti and burned at least one blue line flag. The suspects arrested, and reaction from homeowners, on @KSL5TV at 5&6pm. pic.twitter.com/OjgofikW2W
— Mike Anderson (@mikeandersonKSL) July 2, 2020
They were confused about why someone would do this.
Homeowner Darrel Thompson said the charred mess he found early Wednesday could have started a house fire.
“I don’t know why it stopped, but I was glad it did,” he said.
Further down the street, another neighbor told KSL he was lucky too, getting away with only some burned siding.
Darrel Thompson shows the remains of his American flag.
“I think it’s a pretty horrible thing,” Thompson said. “Two hundred-plus years of history of people fighting for this flag and then kids just come and burn it.”
Brittany Weddel said her mother noticed her American flag was missing and her “Don’t Tread on Me” flag was torched.
“I’m scared. I have kids and I don’t know what’s next and I just don’t know what to expect. And I don’t understand why people are doing this. I think it’s sad,” she said.
Weddel said she will always show her patriotism.
“I am proud to be an American and I love our country and I love representing my country,” she added.
Neighbors and police have offered to give them replacement flags.
Thompson put one of his own up Thursday. He said it makes him sad that not everyone can respect the flag the way he does.
“It makes me very emotional,” he said. “I think that it should mean more.”
Nava and Hinds were both being held on suspicion of charges related to criminal mischief, graffiti and abuse of a flag.
