Leon McCray Sr. was arrested and charged with brandishing a firearm during a June 1 incident in the town of Edinburg in Shenandoah County, a news release from the Shenandoah County sheriff said.McCray, a 61-year-old pastor at Lighthouse Church & Marketplace Ministries International, told CNN affiliate WHSV that the incident started when he noticed two people dragging a refrigerator toward the dumpsters at an apartment building he owns in Edinburg.When he confronted them and asked them to leave they "got irate" with him before leaving and then returned with three more people who began to threaten him and use "all types of racial slurs," McCray told WHSV.He told the station the group began using "racial epithets and the n-word," saying, "your Black life, your M-F Black life don't make, it doesn't make a difference in this country, it doesn't make a difference to me, and we will kill you."McCray pulled out his weapon after the group surrounded him and one man began headbutting him, he told WHSV."It got to the point where this is really getting really, really bad," he told the affiliate. "I couldn't leave, I couldn't do anything, and with the threats, I felt to save my life, I had to draw my gun."However, when deputies arrived they arrested McCray and no one else. Two supervisors in the sheriff's office have been placed on unpaid administrative leave and an administrative review has been launched into their handling of the incident, Sheriff Timothy Carter said in a video message.Carter met with McCray on June 3to discuss the incident. Following the meeting, Carter met with the Shenandoah Commonwealth's Attorney, who agreed that the charge against McCray was unwarranted and dropped it."After talking with him about the incident, it was apparent to me that the charge of brandishing was certainly not appropriate," Carter said. "If I were faced with similar circumstances, I would have probably done the same thing.""I want the people of Shenandoah County to know I and the Sheriff's Office staff appreciate and care about the minority communities, and especially our black community, in Shenandoah County," he said. "Also, I continue to support and recognize the impoRead More – Source
Leon McCray Sr. was arrested and charged with brandishing a firearm during a June 1 incident in the town of Edinburg in Shenandoah County, a news release from the Shenandoah County sheriff said.McCray, a 61-year-old pastor at Lighthouse Church & Marketplace Ministries International, told CNN affiliate WHSV that the incident started when he noticed two people dragging a refrigerator toward the dumpsters at an apartment building he owns in Edinburg.When he confronted them and asked them to leave they "got irate" with him before leaving and then returned with three more people who began to threaten him and use "all types of racial slurs," McCray told WHSV.He told the station the group began using "racial epithets and the n-word," saying, "your Black life, your M-F Black life don't make, it doesn't make a difference in this country, it doesn't make a difference to me, and we will kill you."McCray pulled out his weapon after the group surrounded him and one man began headbutting him, he told WHSV."It got to the point where this is really getting really, really bad," he told the affiliate. "I couldn't leave, I couldn't do anything, and with the threats, I felt to save my life, I had to draw my gun."However, when deputies arrived they arrested McCray and no one else. Two supervisors in the sheriff's office have been placed on unpaid administrative leave and an administrative review has been launched into their handling of the incident, Sheriff Timothy Carter said in a video message.Carter met with McCray on June 3to discuss the incident. Following the meeting, Carter met with the Shenandoah Commonwealth's Attorney, who agreed that the charge against McCray was unwarranted and dropped it."After talking with him about the incident, it was apparent to me that the charge of brandishing was certainly not appropriate," Carter said. "If I were faced with similar circumstances, I would have probably done the same thing.""I want the people of Shenandoah County to know I and the Sheriff's Office staff appreciate and care about the minority communities, and especially our black community, in Shenandoah County," he said. "Also, I continue to support and recognize the impoRead More – Source
