NORWALK, Ohio – The Norwalk Police Department identified a suspect in an incident involving the distribution of Klu Klux Klan recruitment flyers throughout the city’s residential areas.
“We’ve given the prosecutor the information we have and will see if there are any charges that apply to what happened,” police chief Scott Dahlgren said.
The chief stated that the suspect is linked to both a flyer incident from last June and the most recent incident from August 12.
“We’re just trying to be a civilization that we can get along, why do we have this in the little town of Norwalk?” asked Brian Lenhart. He and his wife, Tisha, discovered one of the flyers on August 12.
Norwalk police say the suspect folded the flyer inside a small plastic bag and used candy to weigh it down and keep it from being blown away by a gust of wind.
“I was out mowing the yard, and I saw zip-lock baggie with a piece of gum in it,” Brian told me.
The flyer inside urges people to direct their rage towards minorities such as immigrants and the transgender community.
The sheets were discovered on Grove Avenue, Parsons Street, Deerfield Avenue, and East Quail Hollow, according to police.
In a Tuesday interview with 19 News, the Lenharts expressed strong opposition to the message on the flyer.
“That’s something that was back in the 50s and 60s, but you didn’t think that was still around now,” Brian told me.
“That just shows so much hatred towards people,” says Tisha.
19 News contacted Mayor David Light’s office for a statement. A staff member stated that the mayor was pleased with how the police department handled the incident.
The Lenharts also stated that the flyers were met with strong opposition on community Facebook pages.
“Somebody handed that to my face, it would be a different discussion, and I think it would be like that for everyone in the neighborhood,” Brian told me.
