Wisconsin Man Charged With Targeting Neighbors With Vandalism and Racist Threats

A Wisconsin man is facing federal charges over a series of racist incidents directed at his Black neighbors.

According to legal documents obtained by the Daily Beast, 54-year-old William McDonald is accused of using force and threats of force to interfere with the housing rights of multiple people because of their race, color, or national origin. Authorities say the West Allis resident began harassing his neighbors in March 2021, when he vandalized a neighbor’s vehicle and left a hateful note demanding them to get out of his neighborhood.

“[…] If I see you again, I’ll slash your fucking throat,” one of the messages reportedly read. “Get the fuck back to the northside where you belong fucking n****r!”

The victim said she found the note on her windshield on March 8, a day after she discovered all four of her car’s tires had been slashed. She told investigators she discovered another threatening note on her car later that month. According to the complaint, the message featured similar handwriting and was on the same stationery as the first one.

“Your last warning to get the fuck outta my neighborhood before I slash your shit again,” it read. No problem with BLACK people. Only problems with ghetto punk n****rs like you!”

Other residents reported similar incidents over the following months. Some said the notes were left on their cars after their tires were slashed, while others said the messages were left at their homes. Federal investigators and local police say all of the victims lived within a 1-mile radius of each other. Some of them also resided in the same apartment complex as McDonald. A couple of the targeted residents decided to leave their homes out of fear for their safety.

After reviewing surveillance footage, the FBI managed to identify the suspect’s vehicle, and determined it was similar to one that was registered to McDonald. The man was pulled over on March 18 after he failed to use his turn signal and put on his seatbelt. During the traffic stop, McDonald complied with the officer’s request to write down his name and email address; authorities later found similarities between McDonald’s handwriting and the handwriting on the threatening notes.

On April 11, a judge issued a search warrant on McDonald’s home and vehicle. Federal agents executed the warrant on April 19, and discovered incriminating evidence inside his car, including a couple of screwdrivers, a baseball bat, and a handwritten note in a sandwich bag that read, “Drive like a stupid ghetto fuckin n****r in my neighborhood. This is what happens bitch. I’m watching all you fuckin monkeys around here […] Next time it will be your windshield.”

Authorities say they also found jars of marijuana and a scale inside his apartment. McDonald’s charge is classified as a hate crime under the Civil Rights Act of 1968.