NILES, MI – A southwest Michigan man has been charged with a hate crime after a barbershop was tagged with racially motivated graffiti, according to police.

Timothy McDermott, 63, of Niles, was arraigned Thursday, Oct. 9, on charges of felony hate crime and malicious destruction of property over $200 but less than $1,000, the Niles Police Department said in a news release.

The charges stemmed from an Aug. 14 incident in which In The Cut Barbershop, located at 507 Sycamore St. in Niles, was tagged with racist graffiti, the police department said. A police investigation led to McDermott being arrested in connection to the incident.

In The Cut Barbershop has served the community for over 20 years, Niles Mayor Nick Sheldon said in a Facebook post condemning the incident. He said the “hatefu

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