On the morning of November 8, 2024, the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a suspicious event in a residential neighborhood in Dunkirk, Maryland.
Detectives from the Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) were assigned to the case. Upon arrival, it was reported that a human-shaped object had been seen hanging from a tree in the front yard of a residence. Concerned citizens initially believed the object to be a racially motivated statement, causing alarm in the community.
Detectives made contact with the homeowner where the object was located. The homeowner advised that his family had decorated for Halloween and that the object in question was part of a larger display put up in the spirit of the holiday.
Prior to law enforcement arriving on the scene, when a family member realized the negative perception of the object hanging from the tree, they promptly removed it and placed it on the ground.
Other neighbors not directly involved in the incident confirmed that they had seen the object in various locations around the yard for the past two weeks.
The homeowner requested to speak with the concerned neighbors, apologized for the misunderstanding, and extended an open invitation to his home if they wished to discuss the incident further.
Through the investigation and consultation with the Calvert County State’s Attorney’s Office, this case was closed and determined to be an unfortunate misunderstanding resulting from a Halloween decoration.
The Calvert County Sheriff’s Office takes racial and hate-related incidents seriously and will continue to work toward keeping Calvert County a safe community for all residents.
