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Downers Grove, IL —
Tossing eggs at the windows of someone’s home is certainly annoying. But when you set fire to a resident’s U.S. flag, that’s going to grab some attention.
Such was the scene Sept. 1 at the Downers Grove home of Shirley Pasquale. The previous night, someone burned the U.S. flag she has flown on her front porch since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
From a judicial perspective, this case will be prosecuted like any other incident of vandalism if a suspect is ever arrested. The legal point in this situation is that an offender destroyed someone else’s property. In addition to the flag being burned, Pasquale’s mailbox was destroyed.
But the perpetrator’s choice of vandalism might make a difference in how vigorously this case is pursued. You can’t expect to burn someone else’s U.S. flag, particularly a few days before the 10th anniversary of 9/11, and not capture people’s interest.
“That’s what’s bugging me. I mean, who burns an American flag?” Pasquale told the Downers Grove Reporter. “It really could have started the house on fire.”
While news of vandalism at anytime is disturbing, a story of a U.S. flag being burned is bound to anger Pasquale’s neighbors even more. Perhaps they’ll lend her a hand in rooting out the perpetrator.
And the stakes in tracking down the offender have now been raised. A reward of $500 is being offered for information leading to the arrest of the person responsible.
“You know, sometimes maybe a little money talks. Sometimes people don’t want to give out information,” Pasquale said. “(S)omebody knows who did this.”
Pasquale is banking that providing a monetary reward may lure someone with information out into the open. She hopes that an appeal to their economic interests as well as to their patriotism might just do the trick.
We urge anyone with information on this incident to come forward. Call the Downers Grove Police Department at (630) 434-5600.
Tossing eggs at the windows of someone’s home is certainly annoying. But when you set fire to a resident’s U.S. flag, that’s going to grab some attention.
Such was the scene Sept. 1 at the Downers Grove home of Shirley Pasquale. The previous night, someone burned the U.S. flag she has flown on her front porch since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
From a judicial perspective, this case will be prosecuted like any other incident of vandalism if a suspect is ever arrested. The legal point in this situation is that an offender destroyed someone else’s property. In addition to the flag being burned, Pasquale’s mailbox was destroyed.
But the perpetrator’s choice of vandalism might make a difference in how vigorously this case is pursued. You can’t expect to burn someone else’s U.S. flag, particularly a few days before the 10th anniversary of 9/11, and not capture people’s interest.
“That’s what’s bugging me. I mean, who burns an American flag?” Pasquale told the Downers Grove Reporter. “It really could have started the house on fire.”
While news of vandalism at anytime is disturbing, a story of a U.S. flag being burned is bound to anger Pasquale’s neighbors even more. Perhaps they’ll lend her a hand in rooting out the perpetrator.
And the stakes in tracking down the offender have now been raised. A reward of $500 is being offered for information leading to the arrest of the person responsible.
“You know, sometimes maybe a little money talks. Sometimes people don’t want to give out information,” Pasquale said. “(S)omebody knows who did this.”
Pasquale is banking that providing a monetary reward may lure someone with information out into the open. She hopes that an appeal to their economic interests as well as to their patriotism might just do the trick.
We urge anyone with information on this incident to come forward. Call the Downers Grove Police Department at (630) 434-5600.
