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Vandalism case considered hate crime
new deh racial graffiti pic
Pictured is some of the racial graffiti scrawled on to a car owned by Ed McGilber of Great Bend early Wednesday. The incident is being investigated as a hate crime. - photo by COURTESY PHOTO

 Vandalism was the last thing Ed McGilber thought he’d wake up to.
But, the Great Bend man arose Wednesday morning find racial insignias and slurs scrawled on the windows of his and his wife’s cars at 2223 Adams. McGilber, who is  black, said these included swastikas, the “n” word and other derogatory graffiti, all written with some sort of window chalk or marker.
“This is the first time this has happened,” McGilber said. The McGilbers have lived in Great Bend going on four and a half years.
The employee of greatbendpost.com said he hasn’t had any run-ins with anyone who might want to perpetrate such an act. “I stay pretty much to myself.”
So, he wants others to be vigilant. “No one would think something like this would happen here,” he said.
He and his wife Quenla have a 6-year-old child and 15-year-old twins. Now they are worried.
McGilber said he awoke as the crime was being committed and called 911. He made his report at about 7:30 a.m.
Great Bend Police Department Lt. Bill Browne said officers took what they are labeling for now as a disorderly conduct case. However, it is being considered a hate/bias crime.
 Browne said the disorderly conduct tag may change as the investigation continues.