Anne Arundel County is expanding its hate crime prevention program with the launch of the "Uncover Hate" initiative.

The program is funded with a $1.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Justice. 

The initiative aims to improve community understanding on how to effectively identify and report hate crimes and hate bias incidents and strengthen local response and prevention efforts.

The county also said that it plans to purchase additional surveillance tools for the Anne Arundel County and City of Annapolis Police Departments to support the investigation and prosecution of hate crimes.

Also included is the launch of the Hate Crimes Prevention Multidisciplinary Advisory Team (MDAT), which will work to maximize the program's impact on hate crime victims and the overall community.

Recent hate crimes in Anne Arundel County

In Nov. 2024, Benjamin Michael, a Naval Academy graduate and Marine Corps veteran, was convicted of a hate crime for destroying a pride flag hanging outside an Annapolis store.

Police said the incident happened on Nov. 15, 2024, while Michael was visiting Annapolis for a football game. Around 1 a.m., security camera footage captured Michael taking down a rainbow pride flag from the Dapper Dog Tattoo Shop on Maryland Avenue and throwing it into a trash can.

Michael was found guilty in April 2025 and sentenced to 80 hours of community service and one year of probation.

Man accused in hate-fueled mass shooting

In June 2023, Charles Robert Smith, 45, was charged with hate crimes, first-degree murder, and other offenses in a 2023 mass shooting in Annapolis.

The shooting stemmed from a dispute over a parking spot on June 11, 2023, after Smith arrived home. His neighbor, Mario Mireles, 27, was hosting a party.

According to court records, Smith's mother called the police to complain about a car blocking her driveway. Mario then went to Smith's home to complain, leading to a fight. During the altercation, Smith allegedly shot and killed Mario Mireles, his father Nick Mireles, and their family friend Christian Segovia, 25. Three other people were injured.

Smith was charged with murder motivated by hate toward Hispanic persons, attempted murder, and assault.

In Feb. 2025, a mistrial was declared after Smith's attorney said that the Anne Arundel County State's Attorney mischaracterized evidence and brought up facts that the judge ruled to be irrelevant.

Smith's retrial is set for Sep. 24, 2025.

Memorial bench honoring former slave destroyed

A memorial bench dedicated to former slave Jason Asbury Pack in Anne Arundel County was destroyed in April. WJZ spoke to a family member who said the bench was one of the last remaining signs of Pack in town.

Nobody knows how the bench ended up in pieces, but community members told WJZ they were upset about the destruction of the community marker.

The Pack family is one of a handful of Black families who played a huge role in the early development of Severna Park.