Natick Police Investigating Threatening Letters As Possible Hate Crime
NATICK (CBS) -- Police are investigating after several threatening letters containing racial slurs and referencing Donald Trump were left on a resident's doorstep last week.
The man, who lives on a tiny, tucked-away Natick street, told police last Friday that he had received two letters--a handwritten one around 10 a.m. Thursday morning, and a typed one around 7 p.m. Friday night.
The notes warned the man to stop bringing people of color to his home, and indicated that white people had "reclaimed the country" by electing Trump as president.
Both letters contained profanity and racial slurs. Police said they are being investigated as a potential hate crime.
Some in the neighborhood are upset this happened in their community.
"To have this happen to us kind of shook us," resident Heidi Manago said. "We're feeling insecure, we're feeling just heartbroken."
"I don't like the fact about the hate mail. We've been living on this street for a long time and nothing like this has happened before," one resident said
"We're so sad that this happened to this gentleman," Dawn Sullivan, a resident, added. "We just want as a neighborhood to come out and say it's not what we feel."
But some residents say they're having a hard time believing the story.
Neighbor Larry Paul told WBZ-TV's Nicole Jacobs that he has lived on the street for 45 years, and knows most of his neighbors--but not the man in question.
"I don't know the people, I've never seen anybody over there other than him," said Paul. "I know it was nobody on this street. I would swear to it, but, you know, you never know anybody that good."
Police are treating the letters as a potential hate crime because it fit the bill, they say.
"Based on the threats and the racial slurs, it fit the definition," Lt. Cara Rossi-Cafarelli said. "We are concerned primarily with the safety and security and that ever resident feels safe in this community."
Investigators went door to door on Monday searching for clues.
Police say the letters are not indicative of the town's values, and say they're making it their mission to ensure that the community as a whole feels safe.
"This kind of behavior is not indicative of the values in the Town of Natick and will not be tolerated in our community," Natick Police Chief James Hicks said in a release. "The department is taking this case very seriously and we will investigate to our fullest capabilities to ensure the safety and security of our residents."
Residents of the neighborhood say it's not indicative of their street, either.
"None of us can imagine anyone from this street doing that, or any of the streets around us," Manago said.
"The notes were signed from the neighbors, so I think that's why we want to come out and say these are not from the neighbors," another resident added.
On Sunday night on 60 Minutes, President-elect Trump was asked about reports of harassment coming from his supporters across the country.
"I am so saddened to hear that, and I say stop it," Trump said.
Natick Police are asking anyone with information about the letters to contact them.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Carl Stevens reports