Henderson man’s Kamala Harris sign hit with racist vandalism; police investigating
A Henderson homeowner whose Kamala Harris election sign and Halloween decorations were defaced with racist vandalism early Halloween morning says he is “sad about our country” in the heat of the presidential election.
Henderson police say they are investigating.
Justin Phelps has lived 10 years in the Inspirada community, which he called the best in the valley for raising children.
“I don’t have an axe to grind either way; I’m sure it happens both ways to people supporting Trump and to people supporting Harris,” Phelps said Friday afternoon. “It is the tenor that the country is in. Everybody has high emotions about the election.”
The damage included several slurs and as well as vandalism to a poster supporting Vice President Kamala Harris. The markings included profanity and Nazi swastikas, use of the N-word and other vulgar symbols. Photos that were posted on X showed the N-word written on the Harris sign, Nazi swastikas were written on a skeleton Halloween decoration and well as crudely drawn images of male genitalia. Writings on Phelps’ front door were not posted, but Phelps said they were much the same.
The vandalism was being investigated as a politically motivated crime, the Henderson Police Department stated in an email.
“We are actively investigating the matter, and all preliminary information indicates that the incident is politically motivated and not a hate or racially targeted crime,” the email said.
Asked why the vandalism, despite racist slurs, wasn’t being characterized by police as a hate or racially targeted crime, the department declined to elaborate and said the incident was under investigation.
“I’m not pointing the finger at any certain group. If I was a minority I might feel it was a hate crime, but I think they were perhaps trying to embarrass us and maybe have to make us take it all down,” said Phelps, who is white.
Phelps said images from his doorbell camera showed an adult male dressed in a hood with a ski mask over his face, with his eyes still visible He was standing on a porch at the front door.
“I think it was premeditated because he had all the supplies like a glue stick and markers and he vandalized several other things and put the Nazi symbol on things,” Phelps said.
Phelps said the damage occurred about 4:25 a.m. Thursday, and that it kept him busy removing what he could before trick or treating hours later Thursday.
“We are at Via Firenze and Volunteer (Boulevard),” he said of the family residence that he said was one of the first in the neighborhood.
“I had about five hours to get it covered up. We had about 300 trick-or-treaters Thursday night and all of the kids in the neighborhood catch the bus just a few doors away,” he said.
He said he got the markings on the front door covered before children arrived Thursday evening, but said he’s sure students saw the vandalism from the street before catching the Thursday morning bus.
Phelps runs National Youth Sports and does freelance announcing work for various Las Vegas Valley athletic teams. The Cincinnati native has lived in the valley for about 20 years.
“This is the best community to live in and this is why it was so shocking,” he said. “Occasionally you hear of a car getting broken into. I never dreamed this would happen.”
Phelps said he will have to repaint his teal-colored front door because the HOA declined to do so.
Anyone with information in the case is urged to call the Henderson Police Department at 702-267-4911, 311, or to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 702-385-5555 or visit the Crime Stoppers website. Tips directly leading to a felony arrest or an indictment processed through Crime Stoppers may result in a cash reward.
Contact Marvin Clemons at mclemons@reviewjournal.com.
