Investigation continues into alleged racist acts against Cairo high school students

GOREVILLE, Ill. -- The investigation into an alleged racial incident Monday at Gore­ville High School involving a juvenile waving a confederate flag at Cairo, Ill., student athletes continued Wednesday, according to Goreville police chief Eddie Holland.

Holland said he spent all day Wednesday in Cairo interviewing students and staff about the incident.

Holland learned that after the basketball game between Cairo and Gore­ville, Cairo players reported hearing Goreville students yelling racial slurs while walking down the school's hallway. The second incident occurred, according to Holland, after the Cairo students were already on the bus home and a juvenile with a confederate flag in the back of his truck passed them on Goreville Road, almost to Interstate 57.

The juvenile wasn't yelling slurs as he approached the bus, Holland said the Cairo students told him.

The students did tell Holland they heard popping sounds coming from the truck, possibly gunshots. A search of the area where the juvenile reportedly passed the bus didn't reveal any shell casings, Holland said.

According to Holland, the high school basketball coach, Rich McBride, will decide Friday whether to send his players back to Goreville Monday for a regional tournament. McBride didn't return phone calls made to the high school Wednesday.

Holland said his department is already making plans to have extra patrol on during the tournament.

"We're not expecting anything, but we don't want them to feel threatened either," Holland said.

The juvenile is on a 10-day suspension from school, Holland added.

ehevern@semissourian.com

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