Massachusetts man arrested after threatening to shoot and burn pride flag at shopping center

A Massachusetts man has been charged after police say he, among other things, made threats concerning a pride flag.

According to police, on Thursday, the Hingham Police were made aware of a specific threat that was to take place at the Derby Street Shoppes. Management had received a voicemail regarding a Pride flag that was on display. The caller stated he was going to come to the Derby Street Shoppes, shoot the flag down with a rifle, and burn it if it was not taken down within three days. He also made disparaging statements regarding the Jewish faith. Derby Shoppes management immediately notified the police. Through the course of an investigation, officers were quickly able to identify the caller and place him into custody.

Arrested was 29-year-old Gage Scammell of Weymouth. He was charged with Interference with Civil Rights, Deadly Weapons; threatened use or presence, and Threat to commit a crime. He was arraigned at Hingham District Court.

Police Chief David Jones provided the following statement on the incident:

“The Hingham Police Department supports and stands with our LGBTQ+ and Jewish communities and we will not tolerate any threats or discrimination against them. The men and women of this agency will vigorously investigate threats against any member of our community. If anyone has any information or concerns they can reach out to our Civil Rights Officer, Lt. John Marquardt (civilrights@hpd.org). I want to reiterate that any attacks against the LGBTQ+ or Jewish communities, or any other marginalized group, will be dealt with swiftly and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Hingham is a welcoming and accepting community and we will continue to work with our local stakeholders to ensure that our town is safe and inclusive for everyone.”