KILLEEN, Texas (KXXV) — Neighbors in a Killeen neighborhood were shocked after someone spray-painted a racial slur on a Middle Eastern man's home on Richard Drive. Community members quickly painted over the offensive graffiti, and police confirmed the case was filed by neighbors since the homeowner was not present during the incident.
- Hate incident targets Middle Eastern resident - Someone spray-painted a racial slur on a home in a previously quiet Killeen neighborhood on Richard Drive.
- Community responds with solidarity - Neighbors immediately painted over the offensive graffiti, though the outline remains visible, and expressed disgust at the racist act.
- Police investigation underway - The Killeen Police Department confirmed the homeowner was not home when the incident occurred and that neighbors filed the case.
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BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Neighbors in a quiet Killeen neighborhood were left stunned after someone spray-painted a racial slur on a Middle Eastern man's home on Richard Drive.
Video provided by neighbors shows the house and the offensive graffiti. While community members quickly painted over the slur, the outline of the words remains visible to those driving by the home.
"When we saw it on the news we were shocked," one neighbor said. "This neighborhood has never had anything happen like this before and it's always been a quiet neighborhood."
A neighbor going by Scotty H, who helped cover up the slur, said he was disgusted by the racist remarks.
Tony Ortiz, who lives down the street with his wife Jackie, expressed his anger over the incident.
"It makes me mad because my wife is black and it upsets me that people would do something like that," Tony Ortiz said.
The married couple said they were appalled and disgusted by what happened.
"In the world we're living in things like this cannot be happening," Jackie Ortiz said. "We all should be trying to get along with each other no matter what nationality we are, especially in America which is the melting pot of the world."
The Killeen Police Department confirmed the homeowner was not present when the incident occurred and that the case was filed by neighbors.
"On December 13, 2025, at approximately 11:47 a.m., Killeen Police officers were dispatched to the 1600 block of Richard Street in reference to criminal mischief involving graffiti. An unknown suspect or suspects spray-painted a racial phrase on a resident’s garage door. The homeowner was not at the time, and the incident was discovered by a neighbor.
The Killeen Police Department takes incidents of this nature seriously. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Killeen Police Department at 254-501-8830."
Despite the troubling incident, Tony remains hopeful that people can find a sense of national pride again.
"I hope we can go back to being the old America because the new America is pretty bad," he said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
