UPDATE: Flags Returned to Unicoi Park; Reward Still Offered for Vandals
Dana Wachter/ 11 Connects
UPDATE 8:32 a.m. July3: New flags have been put up for the holiday at Unicoi County Veterans Memorial Park in Erwin, Tenn. Vandals responsible for the damage, however, still remain at large.
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The Chief of Police in Erwin says he’s furious.
Overnight, vandals painted grafitti and burned American flags at the Unicoi County Veterans Memorial Park in Erwin, Tenn., Chief Regan Tilson told News Channel 11 Connects. Tilson said the vandals also damaged nearby Gentry Stadium.
The Town of Erwin has offered a $1000 reward for information leading to an arrest, Tilson said.
“It might not look like much damage to some, but for these veterans this is insulting,“ he said.
Look for updates on this developing story here on TriCities.Com.
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Reader Reactions
I am the wife of a former Marine and have many family members that have served in the Armed Forces that have protected this great county and for these worthless excuses of putrid humans, I spit on you. You are a disgrace to this country and to all the men and women who had died to protect us from harm. How dare you! You need to be sent to the countries that have no freedom and see what it is like to live there. When they arrest the people responsible for this horrible crime they should be brought out in public and whipped and put in jail for a year or more and lose all rights as an American citizen. It is time we put a stop to this type of vandalism. We need stronger laws and even if they are a juvenile this should be one crime that needs to be made public. Just because they are a juvenile when they comit horrible crimes against people and our country it should not be sealed it should be made public. And if it was adults that done this, then I say they should no better and the punishment for them should be much greater.
I don’t think these kids will ever spend time in the military. They are too much of a coward and have absolutely no ides what veterans have done to allow them the freedoms they are abusing.
As a veteran, I hope I’m speaking for more than just myself when I say the best thing to do in this situation is let the police do their jobs and channel any anger into cleaning up the park.
Another thing that makes this country so great: our ability to do what is right in the face of adversity.
How can an actual US Citizen have the guts to burn an american flag? Iam only 23, but my parents taught me right from wrong and thats WRONG.
I agree oldgal53. Then after they finish their jail time they need to be sent to the military and required to serve in a combat zone. Maybe then they will have some idea what it means to be a veteran.
Our country has always been too quick to forget how we got this freedom that we enjoy so much. I hope that the police in Erwin will see this through and bring those responsible to justice.
Public whipping should be brought back just for these brats. (And I will be greatly surprised if it is not unsupervised teens.)
Then a lengthy jail term…
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