Vandals target car of Indian family

TOWN AND COUNTRY, MO – The police are trying to determine who scratched ‘Trump’ into the side of an Indian-American family’s car over the weekend. 

 

 

"Is this a random vandalism act, or am I targeted because I am a minority?" said Sudhir Avirneni. "My family and most of my neighbors are very concerned about the racial undertones of the message."

 

Avirneni said he watched the contentious presidential race unfold and heard discriminatory remarks made by Donald Trump and his supporters against immigrants. And he has seen reports from across the country of vandalism and violence against minorities following Trump’s victory. It’s against that backdrop that Avirneni is concerned.

 

Avirneni said the incident happened sometime between 9 pm on (Nov 12) and 7 am (Nov 13). The vandalism was discovered as he and his wife were getting ready to take their older son to a music class.

 

The 4-inch letters were scratched onto a passenger door of their 2008 Honda Accord, parked in the driveway.

 

He said it marks the first time in his 20 years living in the US that he has felt targeted.

 

He said 30 percent to 40 percent of those who live in the new subdivision, at Highway 141 and Clayton Road, are immigrants, with a large Indian and Chinese population.

Avirneni said his wife was so upset, she talked about buying a gun "and we’re not gun people." He said no other residents of the neighborhood had reported any vandalism although the police did tell him that items had been taken from some unlocked vehicles.