KJZZ is a service of Rio Salado College,
and Maricopa Community Colleges

Copyright © 2024 KJZZ/Rio Salado College/MCCCD
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Police Arrest Page Man Accused Of Urging Violence Against Navajos

Police have arrested a Page man accused of writing a racist social media post accusing Navajo people of carrying the coronavirus and calling for their deaths.

Daniel Franzen, 34, was taken into custody on suspicion of attempting to incite an act of terrorism.

The Page Police Department received reports of a Facebook post that urged people to use "lethal force" against Navajos because they were "100% infected" with COVID-19. Investigators say they traced the post to Franzen.

The city of Page borders the reservation.

Navajo Nation Council Member Amber Kanazbah Crotty said in a statement she applauded the swift action of the Page Police Department.

"There is a long history between the Navajo Nation and border towns, and this exemplifies progress between the communities," she said.

→  Read The Latest News On The Coronavirus Disease  

Laurel Morales was a Fronteras Desk senior field correspondent in Flagstaff from 2011 to 2020.