Some residents in Northside are alarmed after reports of a man burning pride flags in the neighborhood early Wednesday morning.
Porch camera footage provided to WVXU shows a man ride up to one house on a bicycle about 5 a.m. Wednesday.
He lights a pride flag hanging from the house's wooden porch on fire and says "I hope it burns your house down," before using a homophobic slur.
Warning: video contains explicit language.
The Cincinnati Fire Investigation Unit released a photo of the man suspected in the flag burnings. They're seeking any information about the incidents.
"These incidents are deeply concerning as they not only destroy property but also place entire communities at risk," CFD said in the news release. "The CFD-FIU is working diligently to identify the individual responsible
and to ensure the safety of Cincinnati residents. Residents in the affected neighborhoods are urged to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity, especially during evening and overnight hours. Anyone with information about these fires is encouraged to submit any tip anonymously through Crime Stoppers at (513) 352-3040."
WVXU spoke to Jon King, the owner of the house in the video. He says he and his wife were asleep when the incident happened. They discovered the burned flag a couple hours later.
"It could very well have lit our house on fire," King said, noting his porch is wood and the flag hung very near a sun shield. "That turned it from just annoying vandalism to, 'this is attempted arson with hate as the motivation.' It's right there in the video."
King said the incident made the neighborhood feel less safe. He said he reported it to Cincinnati Police and that officers were responsive.
The family displays the flag because they consider themselves allies of the LGBTQ community and the burning made them very concerned for their neighbors.
"I still do feel safe in this neighborhood, but your instant feeling is one of vulnerability," he said. "This neighborhood is a place where the LGBT community has thrived for decades. They're an important part of the community here. It's a targeted act at them. It's a difficult thing to wrap my head around today."
At least two other Northside residents reported similar damage to pride flags Wednesday.
One, Colleen Swim, provided WVXU with a photo of her pride flag with noticeable burn marks on it. She said she doesn't have a porch camera. But Swim believes the damage is connected to the incident at King's house.
WVXU has reached out to Cincinnati Police to get details about the incident and any efforts to investigate it.
This article has been updated to include information from the Cincinnati Fire Department.
Read more: