An attempt to burn an east Charlotte store that included a note warning of plans to “torture” immigrants is being investigated as a hate crime by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police.
Police say officers were called at 9:59 p.m. Thursday to a fire at the Central Market, a Nepali Indian store at 5718 Albemarle Road in Charlotte. On arrival, officers were advised by the Charlotte Fire Department that the fire was contained to the front door and burned itself out by their arrival.
Investigators say one of the windows in the door had been broken out with a rock and a note was left near the door. The note stated “the suspect did not want any refugee business owners and that they would torture the owner if they did not leave and go back to where they came from,” according to police.
It was signed “White America.”
