Man arrested after allegedly destroying pride flags outside Essex County homes
BLOOMFIELD, N.J. -- A newlywed couple celebrating their marriage was horrified to find their pride flags vandalized last week.
Natalie Ferrazzano was honeymooning in Hawaii with her wife last week, celebrating their marriage, when they say their love came under attack outside their Bloomfield home.
"Even when I saw it, I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe it. And then my wife said, 'Natalie, believe it. It's on camera,'" Ferrazzano told CBS2's Christina Fan.
A neighbor alerted them several pride flags had been yanked out of the ground. The incident was captured on their Ring camera.
"This is a hate crime. This is horrible. This never happened to us. This is why we moved to Bloomfield, and we just called the cops right away," Ferrazzano said.
After vandalizing the Ferrazzanos' home on Byrd Avenue on Feb. 21, the suspect allegedly continued on to Parkview Drive, where cameras captured him destroying another home's rainbow flag.
Officers quickly identified and arrested the man a day later and told the couple he is emotionally disturbed.
CBS2 reached out to police to ask what charges the suspect may face when he's released from the hospital, but haven't received an answer.
Ferrazzano says she supports treatment, but also wonders "I don't think people should just get away with it, but I don't know if the punishment for somebody who's mentally ill should to be jail and to have these consequences."
"If you are mentally ill, like, why is your hate only towards us? There has to be something more, and I would love to talk to him. I would love to talk to his parents," she continued.
Ferrazzano says after hiding her sexuality for most of her life, it was important for her to speak out against hate.
The flags are back up in front of the couple's home now, refusing to let ignorance overcome love.
Police have not released the suspect's name, but they say they are investigating his actions as a possible bias crime.