The husband of an Oklahoma mayor dressed up as a KKK member for Halloween

Lahoma, Okla., is a tiny town in Northern Oklahoma. Theresa Sharp is mayor and her husband is Cary Sharp. The husband Sharp and three friends were hanging out on Halloween and dressed up as KKK members with torches. This was a bad idea.

According to the Enid News & Eagle, around 10:20 p.m. local time on Halloween, four men were reported wearing white robes, carrying torches, and burning a cross on the Sharps’ property. Cary Sharp says that no cross was actually burned, claiming photos appear to depict a blazing crossing because one of his friends was holding a torch behind it.

A deputy sheriff was dispatched and found Cary Sharp “dressed in white robe with a large cross on it but no hood,” per the police report.

Initially, the Sharps both characterized the costumes (and torches and cross) as a prank gone too far. Cary Sharp told the News & Eagle, “This is ridiculous, really…It was a Halloween night.”

They have since changed their tune. Cary Sharp told Oklahoma City’s News 9, “We just thought it’d be something funny. It’s not funny at all.”

A contrite Mayor Theresa Sharp, interviewed by KOCO, apologized and said, “I don’t know what to else to say other than I’m sorry to the community and I’m sorry to the public.” Her husband described the choice as “a very, very poor decision.”

Ethan Chiel is a reporter for Fusion, writing mostly about the internet and technology. You can (and should) email him at [email protected]