Hate crime investigation underway after racial slurs, damage found inside Mich. family’s home

Police say the home was left in disarray with offensive messages, as residents and leaders call the incident unacceptable.

Federal investigators are now involved in a Michigan family hate crime case after a biracial couple’s home was broken into and covered in racial slurs just days before they were set to move out.

As theGrio has reported, hate crime incidents targeting Black and biracial families continue to draw federal scrutiny across the country, and perpetrators have faced serious charges when racial motivation can be established. Flint’s ABC12 News reported that Russell and Jayme Browning had lived in their Brown City, Michigan home with their six children for nearly five years and were in the process of relocating to Ohio when one of their daughters returned to the house on April 4 and made the discovery.

The home had been broken into and extensively damaged. Racial slurs were painted across the walls and ceilings, including the phrases “Don’t Want U,” “Leave!!!” and “Go Away” followed by a racial slur. Large holes were torn into the drywall, windows were spray-painted, and black paint had been dumped on the floor.

Interim Police Chief Marc Perez described the scene in an April 9 press release, calling the vandalism “deeply disturbing and wholly unacceptable” and confirming that officers were investigating a breaking and entering that caused “significant damage.” Perez told local station ABC12 that investigators are weighing several charges and that a Michigan family hate crime designation remains on the table.

“There are a multitude of charges here, and depending on the surrounding circumstances, and what it is we find, it’s a very good chance there will be more charges, we just don’t know at this time,” he said.

The FBI has since been in contact with the family and is actively investigating the incident alongside local authorities.

The Brownings said they had never experienced any trouble in Brown City, a small town of roughly 1,100 residents about 35 miles east of Flint, Mich., before the incident. Jayme Browning took to Facebook on April 12 to thank the community for its support, writing that her husband “never experienced anything other than kindness, inclusiveness, and generosity” from the town’s residents and that she did not consider the vandalism a reflection of its people.

A family member launched a GoFundMe to help cover the cost of repairs as the Michigan family hate crime investigation continues. The Brownings say they still plan to sell the home once the damage has been addressed.