A man in northern Wisconsin sparked outrage and several calls to police after he was seen walking his dog along a country road in what appeared to be a Ku Klux Klan style robe and hat, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Authorities identified the man as Charles, 50. The incident happened June 12 in Vilas County. The Journal Sentinel reported that a photo of a man seen from behind, standing by the road with a dog, began circulating on Facebook the next day. Local reports said he was waving at passing drivers.
An employee at a nearby gas station asked for extra patrols, citing concern for the man’s safety. When deputies spoke with him, they determined he had not broken any law, and no charges are expected.
“It’s a country road,” Sheriff Joseph Fath told WJFW. “It’s not in anybody’s particular neighborhood. It should not have bothered anybody. I realize that that may be offensive to some people, but it’s not a crime.” Fath said he did not expect any follow up.
A neighbor who asked not to be named told reporters she froze when she saw him. “We knew what we were looking at, but we didn’t know why,” she said.
Gregory Jones, president of the Dane County NAACP, told the Journal Sentinel he believes the outfit was meant to frighten people and urged residents to speak out against it.
Charles had not responded to requests for comment as of the latest reports.
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