Man arrested in suspected hate crime

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By The Lincoln Journal Star

Lincoln police arrested a 29-year-old Lincoln man in a suspected hate crime early Friday. Brandon Hill, 3050 T St., was lodged into Lancaster County Jail on suspicion of making terroristic threats in the incident, which occurred outside his residence around 1:45 a.m.

Hill was arraigned on the charge Friday in Lancaster County Court. He is scheduled to appear in court next on Aug. 3.

According to police, Hill, armed with a shotgun, approached a Native man who was smoking a cigarette outside a residence across from Hill's home.

Police suspect Hill pointed a shotgun at the man and called him a racial slur.

When police arrived, they saw Hill and the man facing each other with what they believed were pipes or rods. As police approached the two, a witness indicated Hill might have a shotgun, so authorities pulled their weapons.

Hill released the shotgun without incident and was taken into custody, according to the reports. The weapon was not loaded. Hill told police the neighbors initiated the confrontation, although no other arrests were made.

Prosecutors will review the reports to determine if the incident warranted a hate crime charge.

If so, and if Hill is convicted of the underlying threats count, he could receive an enhanced sentence.

The hate crime law, passed by the Legislature nearly eight years ago, boosts sentences one level for crimes committed because of the victim's race, religion, ancestry, national origin, political affiliation, gender, sexual orientation, age or disability.

Friday's incident was the second suspected hate crime in Lincoln in recent days.

A 62-year-old Lincoln man was charged this week on two counts of terroristic threats in connection with a July 8 incident. Stanley Sparling, who is white, is suspected of pointing a shotgun at two black women and referring to them with a racial slur.