Police arrested a juvenile Friday who they said shot at a Pride flag in the window of an Oregon public library.
Detectives said the juvenile acted alone and is cooperating with authorities.
Police are investigating the incident at at Newberg Public Library as a possible bias crime. They said they are also trying to determine if the flag was the intentional target.
Library Director Korie Buerkle said they’ve had a Pride display since 2019 and just want to create an inclusive space for everyone.
Buerkle said every June she gets several calls from the community upset about the display.
In a social media post, the library said the incident happened Wednesday and that it was a BB gun pellet that did the damage. The library noted that the original 1912 glass is still intact, but the protective glass installed with grant funds had been shattered.
No one was hurt. The case has been referred to the Yamhill County Juvenile Department.
There is a history involving the Pride flag in Newberg. In 2021, the Newberg School Board banned political symbols in schools, including Pride and Black Lives Matter flags.
