Black Family Receives Hate Mail In White N.Y. Suburb: ‘You Don’t Belong Here’

An African American family received a racist letter from their new neighbors in Lindenhurst, New York and Suffolk County police are investigating it as a possible hate crime, Pix11.com reports.

Ronica Copes found the letter in her mailbox last Thursday and called her mother Darcell Copes at work to tell her what happened. She then posted the letter on her Facebook page and, so far, it has 2,007 shares.

Sooooo, I’m checking my mail and when I come across this I can’t help but laugh😄…wait, it’s not funny though. Where they do that at? Oh yeah Lindenhurst. Unbelievable but then it’s not…our daily reality, I’ve just never seen it in this form.

Since the sender of the letter read “Community,” she initially thought that it was something mailed to everyone in her neighborhood until she read it.

ATTENTION: AFRICAN-AMERICAN FAMILY

THIS IS COMING FROM LINDENHURST COMMUNITY.

LINDENHURST IS 84% WHITE POPULATION.

YOU DON’T BELONG HERE!!

PLEASE LEAVE LINDENHURST AS SOON AS YOU CAN.

IT WILL BE BETTER FOR ALL OF US.

FIND THE TOWN WHERE THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE LIKE YOU.

“There have never been any incidents for us no problems, no quarrels with anyone, so as I said, we are really taken aback because we have no idea where this is coming from,” Darcell Copes said.

Suffolk county executive Steven Bellone, issued the following statement on Friday.

“To the coward who committed a hate crime against an innocent family in Lindenhurst — There is no place for intolerance in Suffolk County.  I know the Suffolk County Police Department will do everything possible to solve this hate crime, out you and see you punished. I stand together with all Lindenhurst residents who decry this act of hatred. This community and all of Suffolk County are better than that.”

The family did not expect the letter to go viral and Darcell Copes wrote the following on her Facebook profile on Sunday:

** SUNDAY MORNING SHOUT-OUTS** 1st. JESUS then to my family and friends, Russell Simons for mention on your page, Lindenhurst Town Officials, Suffolk Counties Police & Special investigations Department, NBC, ABC, news 12 FiOS 1, PIX 11, Fox 5, NY Post. To those residents of Lindenhurst that have extended your thoughtfulness thru apologies, flowers, cards, & balloon. ** Stay Tuned** we intend to turn a negative into a POSITIVE. Be blessed and have a beautiful Sunday.

In a written statement, Lindenhurst Village officials say they “Stand in solidarity with residents in declaring there no room for intolerance or hatred in this community,” ABC7.com reports.