Federal and state authorities have brought multiple charges against a Cincinnati man accused of setting fires at homes displaying Pride flags, in what prosecutors describe as deliberate and hate-driven attacks intended to intimidate members of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Thomas Niehaus, 52, is charged with seven counts of aggravated arson and three counts of arson under state law, and a separate federal indictment adds one count of malicious use of fire, Hamilton County Prosecutor Connie Pillich announced.
Investigators say Niehaus’s crimes began on July 30, when he allegedly drove through Cincinnati’s Clifton and Northside neighborhoods searching for homes that displayed Pride or Ukrainian flags. According to court documents, he was “full of rage” and admitted he wanted to “send them a message by burning the flags.”
Authorities say Niehaus used a tiki torch and fuel to ignite the flags while intoxicated. In several incidents, he was caught on video laughing and shouting slurs as the fires burned. One clip reportedly captured him yelling, “I hope it burns your f— house down,” and “you’re dead… kill them all.”
“These were not acts of random vandalism. They were targeted, hateful attempts to intimidate and silence members of our community,” Pillich said when announcing the indictment. “Everyone deserves to feel safe and seen in their own neighborhoods. We will not tolerate hate in any form.”
Officials warned that the blazes, though small, posed a serious risk to lives and property because the burning flags were close to homes. Several victims were elderly residents.
When Niehaus appeared in court on state charges in August, he reportedly shouted, “Fighting for the children!” before being removed from the courtroom. He has remained in custody at the Butler County Jail under a federal hold since his October indictment.
Authorities emphasized that the investigation highlights the growing coordination between state and federal prosecutors to pursue hate-motivated crimes and arson cases that endanger communities.
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