EDMONDS – Police are still investigating a cross burning at the home of a Middle Eastern family in Edmonds.
Investigators spoke with a former friend of the homeowner’s son, but the boy denied lighting the cross on fire, Edmonds Police Sgt. Jeff Jones said Monday. The two teens have had a falling out in the past few months. Jones declined to say what the dispute was about, but did say police aren’t calling this a hate crime yet.
“I don’t think the family being Middle Eastern is part of the motivation here. I don’t think there is prejudice. The boys have been friends for a very long time,” Jones said.
The cross was made of wood and about 5 feet tall. It was set on fire in the front yard of the home in the 16000 block of 75 Place W. The flames charred some shrubs but didn’t do any extensive damage to the house.
The cross burning is apparently unrelated to an arson at a Pakistani-owned store Friday in Everett.
Oak Harbor: New commanding officer
Marine Corps Col. James D. Nichols will relieve Col. Steven M. Keim on Friday as commanding officer of Marine Aviation Training Support Group 53.
The ceremony will be at 2 p.m. at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island.
Nichols graduated from the University of Florida and became a Naval flight officer in 1979. He attended Marine Corps University and earned a master’s degree in strategic studies from the Naval War College in 2000.
Keim will become the professor of naval sciences at Texas A&M in College Station.
Brig. Gen. Carl B. Jensen, commander of the air bases in Miramar, Calif., will review the change of command ceremony.
Support Group 53, with 150 personnel, is the parent command for all Marines on the Whidbey Island base.
From Herald staff reports
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