Detectives of the City of Laurel Police Department are investigating a hate crime, which occurred at the City of Zion Church located at 14100 Laurel Park Drive, Laurel, MD.  Laurel Police Officers responded to a caller from the church who advised he had found a doll hanging by a noose in a tree just outside of the Church.  The doll is described as a cloth, cabbage patch style doll, and had racial slurs written on it.  The doll was placed into the tree sometime during the evening of 10-30-10 or early morning of 10-31-10. Mayor Moe has spoken with City of Zion Church Pastor Gregory Strong to express his outrage at this incident; and to assure Pastor Strong that the Laurel Police will do everything they can to solve this crime in a timely manner.  Mayor Moe stated that there is no place in Laurel for actions such as this. 

Anyone having information on this incident is encouraged to contact the Laurel Police Department Criminal Investigations Division at 301-498-0092.

For Immediate Release
November 1, 2010
Contact:   James Collins, Public Information Officer
               301-725-5300, ext. 244
                E-Mail: [email protected]