NE Bend doctor’s office hit by three incidents of flag, sign vandalism

Plans to put up more flags -- and security cameras

(Update: Adding video, comments)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Bend pediatrician Dr. Erika Beard-Irvine is looking for answers after her office was vandalized three times last week.

"I'm not sure who I would have ticked off," she told NewsChannel 21 on Monday.

While on vacation for a week, flags and signs outside her northeast Bend office at Fourth Street and Revere Avenue were vandalized, not once, but three times.

For the last several weeks Beard-Irvine has displayed a pride flag outside of her office. But last week, it was ripped down. The office replaced it with another flag that said, “Human kind, be both.” That flag also was ripped down, and whoever did so left the shreds up.

The pediatrics office's Black Lives Matter sign also was stolen. And the incidents continued for a third day.

"There was this big pile of cut-up signs on the front stoop, like right outside the front door," Beard-Irvine said, recounting what her office manager encountered Thursday morning.

The office manager pieced back together some of the signs. Only one may actually belong to the office.

Beard-Irvine says the vandalism carries a double sting.

"Not only was it somebody vandalizing my flag, but also, people aren't going to see that flag, or see that the flag is torn."

Bend police were called to the office all three times, but a spokesperson told NewsChannel 21 there is no open case, and there's not enough information to call it a bias crime.

"On the one hand, it would be nice if you know, (police said), 'We'll drive by your office more often,’” Beard-Irvine said. “On the other hand, what are the odds of catching someone doing something?"

She said they will be putting up more flags, and installing security cameras.

The BLM sign had been up more than year without incident. Beard-Irvine said she actually expected something to happen then, but nothing until now.

The pride flag was hung at the beginning of June.

Bend Police are inviting anyone with information on the vandalism to contact them.