BALTIMORE — Baltimore Police are investigating two cases where a man, believed to be the same person, was seen on camera torching two LGBTQ+ Pride flags Wednesday night.
The first incident happened around 9:16 p.m. in the 100 blook of E. Clement Street in Federal Hill.
"I didn't see it until the next day," said homeowner Anna Guloy. "But I did notice my mini pride flag went missing from my planter on Monday. I just thought someone just wanted it for themselves."
It appears it came back Wednesday, except this time it was left on her front steps, torched.
Guloy reported the incident to police.
Video shows a man dressed all in black walking past her home and then dropping what she says was the flag.
"It's 2022," Guloy said. "I can't believe we're still dealing with this.
The second incident happened 30 minutes later in the 1300 block of Richardson Street in Locust Point.
Video from that location shows a man walking past a Ring camera.
He appears to crouch down, then there's a spark of light and smoke.
Moments later, a neighbor is seen running from across the street to put out the flames.
"It was very out of the ordinary to see a one-foot flame just sitting outside the front door of my neighbor," said Ryan Harding. "I had my water bottle in my hand and just threw the water on the fire."
Harding told WMAR 2 News he then alerted his neighbor Hannah and her husband.
"It's really strange," said Hannah, who didn't want to use her last name. "The mini flag wasn't even ours. He must have brought it with him."
Hanna and her husband told WMAR 2 News they're allies of the LGBTQ+ community.
"We had the pride flag flying above our home," Hannah said. "We've taken it down until things cool down and then we'll put it back up, especially with Pride month coming up."
Both homeowners believe the suspect targeted them because they flew a pride flag above their doors.
Since reporting the crimes and sharing their experiences online, both Anna and Hannah said the support they've received has been wonderful.
"From this hate has come a lot of love," said Hannah.
"My community has been so kind," said Guloy. "Someone even dropped off flowers and left them on my doorstep."
One neighbor has even started a Pride flag campaign.
"I've ordered 100 LGBTQ+ flags from an LGBTQ+ business," Theresa Ridgley told WMAR 2 News Friday. "We want to send a message that we're not okay with this and that we support our neighbors."
Ridgley said the flags will be arriving ahead of Pride month and people have already requested them.
"We hope people put them in their planters so that it sends a message of support and that we won't tolerate this act of hate," said Ridgley.
If you have any information about these two cases call metro CrimeStoppers at 1-866-7lockup.
