Suspect charged after being accused of assaulting victim with American flag

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ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — An Asheville man faces several charges, including assault, after being accused of using an American flag as a weapon.

A press release from the Asheville Police Department (APD) says officers responded to a grocery store near the 25 block of Tunnel Road around 1:58 p.m. on Sunday, May 5, for a report of an employee who had been assaulted.

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In their release, APD says an employee had confronted an individual after he allegedly attempted to steal a beverage. As staff were escorting the man out of the store, "he grabbed an American flag set and struck the employee in the head, causing minor injuries, before fleeing the scene," police say.

Shortly afterward, officers located the suspect, identified as 34-year-old Caleb Cameron McRae, in the nearby area at a fast-food restaurant and took him into custody.

He was charged with the following:

  • Assault With A Deadly Weapon
  • 2nd-Degree Trespassing
  • Resist, Delay, Obstruct
  • Possession Of Drug Paraphernalia

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McRae was booked into Buncombe County Detention Facility under a $2,000 secured bond issued by the magistrate.

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