Fresno man discovers swastikas on his fence

FRESNO, Calif. -- Fresno Police are investigating a possible hate crime at a Northwest Fresno home.

The homeowner discovered swastikas on the fence of his home in the area of Cornelia and Bullard. The fence tagged is in a high traffic area. It's clean now but has left the Johnson family worried after swastikas were carved in their fence.

The graffiti abatement team used a pressure washer to erase the swastikas left etched into the fence of an African American family's home. Although Michael Johnson's fence has been the target of more friendly vandalism in the past, the latest act he is taking more personally.

Johnson said, "It's annoying, it's scary. I don't know if they are going to take it to another level, you know and possibly throw something in my window or my swimming pool."

Johnson estimates the fence was vandalized while he was away from home Monday between the hours of 1 and 4 in the afternoon.

"After walking up and down the street examining all the fences on this block, yes I think I was targeted because I'm an African American," said Johnson.

Fresno Police are investigating the vandalism as a potential hate crime. While detectives work to find out who might be to blame, they also want to make sure the Johnson family feels safe.

Dave Belluomini with the Fresno Police Department said, "We've had officers out continuously doing patrol checks. They are documented patrol checks so we know when the officers are out there to try to book end any other crimes that may be occurring."

The neighborhood is a low crime area. Making the Johnsons even more baffled as to who would do this to them, but they would like the person responsible to know a little something about them.

"We haven't harmed anybody. You know, we're good people, god fearing. And you know just take your hate away, learn to love somebody," said Johnson.

The fence also had the letters WP carved out as in white power. Police say incidents like this are rare and taken very serious.

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