CAUGHT ON VIDEO: Authorities looking for hate crime suspect who set fire to rainbow flag at Omaha home

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - Citing Nebraska’s hate crime statute, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is looking for the public’s help to identify a hate crime suspect or suspects.

DCSO said they’re looking for a person who stole a rainbow flag from a northwest Omaha residence earlier this year. Someone also burned a replacement flag at the same home last week.

The first incident occurred around 9:30 p.m. April 15, when a rainbow flag was stolen from the front porch of the Saddlebrook neighborhood home. The thief had their face covered but was believed to be a man, according to the DCSO release. He was wearing a dark plaid jacket and jeans when he approached the home on foot, pulled the rainbow flag from the flagpole, and fled.

The second incident reportedly happened around 2 a.m. Friday, when the suspect, again believed to be a man, approached the same residence on foot and set fire to the replacement flag after applying some sort of accelerant. DCSO said that this man may have burns on his hands as a result of the flag fire. He was wearing a light-colored jacket and pants when setting the fire, the release states.

Noting that Nebraska law enhances the original penalty when the crime is classified as a hate crime, DCSO said anyone with information about these incidents should call their tip line at 402-444-6000.

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