WARREN, Mich. – On Thanksgiving, we’re hearing a message of gratitude and forgiveness from a Warren couple forced out of their home for a few months following an apparent hate crime against them.
In September, shots fired into the home of military veterans Eddie and Candace Hall. There was vandalism and the family moved out. They returned to their home days before the holiday.
“We celebrated with a nice meal, playing some family games and first of all, we started with prayer,” said Candace Hall. “When we first got here... we had a little anxiety. At first, we had a little bit of reservation. The window hadn’t been put back up, so we were kind of a little leery because we couldn’t see out.”
Their window was damaged due to a series of attacks on their home. Warren police believe it was their Black Lives Matter sign that set off a 24-year-old man, who lives around the corner.
The man used a gun he found in his parents’ garage and fired multiple times at the Hall’s home. He threw a rock through their window and slashed their tires and wrote on their truck.
“For something to happen like that because of what we believed in, that was just shocking,” said Eddie Hall.
Now a few months later -- on a day of Thanksgiving -- the Hall family said they’re giving thanks.
“Really grateful for life,” said Candace Hall.
“This could have turned out to be something different, but thank God it wasn’t and it happened the way it did. Thanking God for the many blessings he has bestowed on us,” said Eddie Hall.
Police have arrested the man they said is responsible for the hate crime. The Halls said they want justice, but they also forgive him.