The mayor of Lahoma, a small town in Oklahoma, apologized when a photo of her husband together with his friends went viral during the weekend. Local officials have called the incident a "Halloween prank gone bad," according to Fox News.
Forty-seven-year-old Cary Sharp, together with his friends, suited up using white robes and white head covers as their Halloween costume. They held crosses in front of a bonfire to complete the look as members of the Ku Klux Klan. Those who saw the photo online were not pleased.
Please don't tell me racism is dead! This just happened a few miles outside of Enid. A little town called Lahoma. And to make matters worse, one of them was the mayor of Lahoma's husband! The mayors HUSBAND!
Posted by Alfred Baldwin III on Sunday, November 1, 2015
Sharp's wife, Lahoma Mayor Theresa Sharp, has received a number of complaints - some calling for her resignation. "I have no intention of doing so," the mayor said, according to NBC News. "They didn't see the harm in dressing up as the KKK, in comparison to other people dressing up as murderers and bombers."
"It's four good ol' boys sitting around drinking and things got out of control," she added about her husband and his friends. The group only committed "some very bad choices."
The Lahoma mayor also clarified that they are not affiliated with the group nor she was present during the incident.
"I was not involved. I was trick-or-treating with my child. Myself and the city do not endorse the behavior that was reflected that night," she said, according to The Oklahoman. "I'm very sorry that this happened. I have huge regrets, trust me."
The police responded in Lahoma after a citizen informed them of the situation.
"I advised the group why I was there, and that although I know it was a joke, that they save them and myself anymore headaches to not burn any more crosses," Deputy Aaron Moore said in a police report, according to Reuters.
No charges have been filed.
