Authorities probe alleged racist incident in Virginia City

The Storey County Sheriff’s Office is investigating what it says are concerning reports and video of an alleged racist incident that occurred in Virginia City on Friday.

The Sheriff’s Office is investigating reports of a video on TikTok in which a man alleges that a white man made racist statements toward him in Virginia City.

“We at the sheriff’s office do not condone or support racism, inequality, or hate speech,” the department stated in a news release.

“All reports to the Storey County Sheriff’s Office are investigated thoroughly and treated seriously,” the release said. “A case has been pulled regarding this incident and is being investigated. We thank each and every one of you for your patience while the investigation is being finished. “

The Virginia City Tourism Commission also released a statement condemning the incident, which it called “hateful and racist” and underscoring that the commission finds “this behavior abhorrent and inexcusable” and “stands against any acts of hatred or violence.”

The video was taken by a Black man, not visible in the video, who said he was working a job when the incident occurred. A man who uses the name “Uncle Ricky” or unclerickyd1 on TikTok said on the social media platform that he was the man who took the video and was the target of the alleged racist remarks.

He alleges in the video that a white man, who is seen giving him the finger, had told him they had “a hanging tree for people like me” in the city.

A loud argument with much profanity ensued, with some people who seem sympathetic to the man, others not, until a woman who said he was on her property appears to escort him away as he continues to protest and repeatedly asks her not to touch him.

The incident happened during the annual Hot August Nights classic car event.

Organizers of the event also released a statement called the incident “a very unfortunate and intolerable incident occurred during our kick-off event in Virginia City this weekend.”

“It was inexcusable and not at all representative of our classic car culture or community,” the statement continued. “Hot August Nights celebrates and welcomes individuals from all walks of life and backgrounds and our organization does not condone nor support racism or hate speech.”

The statement ends, noting that “we hope that this will not dampen our attendees and participants spirits as we host our events in Reno-Sparks over the coming week. Our commitment is for a safe and inclusive space for everyone.”

Contact Jeff Burbank at jburbank@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0382. Follow him @JeffBurbank2 on Twitter.