State police said Friday that the FBI is now leading the investigation of a cross-burning that happened in a West Wheatfield Township family's back yard after a big high school football game.
State Trooper John Matchick told Channel 4 Action News that Joe and Mary Walbeck called police after they woke up on the morning of Nov. 16 and found a 6-foot-tall cross that had been set on fire standing about 20 feet from their home in the village of Robinson.
United High School lost a football playoff game on Nov. 15. Shaquille Howard, a standout lineman on the football team, wonders if there is a connection.
Howard, 16, is black and is the adopted son of the Walbecks, who are white.
"I was shocked of what happened. I've never had anything happen like this before and it just ate me up that someone would do something like this," Howard said.
Originally from Pittsburgh, Howard said his biological mother died when he was young and he has lived with the Walbecks for three years.
"I couldn't believe it," said Joe Walbeck. "It was, like, we've had Shaq for three years and nothing like that's ever happened. He's very accepted in the community into the school."
State troopers at the Indiana barracks have been investigating the incident as a case of trespass and ethnic intimidation. They had few leads and were hoping to get some tips from the public before the FBI took over.
"I hope nothing bad upon them, but if they would just accept their consequence for what they've done, that's all that I can wish for," Howard said.
"I'm sure it hurt," Joe Walbeck said. "It hurt all of us to know that something like that is still going on."
Anyone with information about the case is asked to call police.
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