Arcola mayor gets noose delivered to city hall with threatening note ahead of elections

A noose delivery to Arcola City Hall has leaders on high alert.

The threatening package was sent directly to Arcola Mayor Fred Burton, who is running for his fourth term in next week's mayoral election.

The chief of police and Burtonsaid having a noose delivered to city hall is troubling.

"I pulled out it said, 'Get out of this race now!!'" Burton said. "It's a slap. Especially on a Black man's face that he has to open up mail like that and see something like that. I thought we were better than that as a society."

He said this campaign season has been challenging as the trail heats up.

"This (election) has been the most, I guess, if you will, nasty. But I won't let that situation, that mail, I won't let those type of racial, if you will, throwbacks, affect me in this race," Burton said.

Arika Carr, the chief of police, is taking the threat against Burton seriously as she called in the FBI to help investigate who did this.

"It's very troubling to receive," Carr said. " It's very disturbing that in 2024, we are still at this point of receiving this type of mail or someone doing this type of crime."

Carr said they have increased the mayor's security because of the threat.

If you have any information about this investigation, you're urged to call the Arcola Police Department.

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