'Eggers' Strike in McKenzie

A series of pranks have disrupted neighborhoods in and around McKenzie, prompting angry responses from affected residents. According to one social media post, several houses and vehicles in the Holly Hills subdivision were targeted by egging in the late hours of Tuesday, July 22.

Egging, or the act of throwing eggs at people or property, is a form of vandalism and can irreversibly damage property under the right conditions. Thrown eggs can leave dents or break property. Egg whites can deteriorate certain types of paint, and egg yolks can be difficult to remove once dried. Vandals can be charged with a misdemeanor or a felony depending on the level of damage they inflict.

The vandals’ targets were seemingly random. Residents shared photos of egged windows, house columns, doorsteps, truck bumpers, and more. One resident, who posted a photo of their house’s egged second-story window, said it looked like an egg had cooked on their window.

This was the second egging to hit the Holly Hills neighborhood. One victim of the July 22 event said their truck was also egged during Easter weekend.

Holly Hills wasn’t the only neighborhood affected. Police Chief Ryan White confirmed the McKenzie Police Department received a call about eggs being thrown at the city’s pickleball courts. A resident near Stonewall Street also reported an egging on July 22.

At least seven victims posted about the July 22 incident on social media; three of the seven were local schoolteachers.

Residential security cameras captured videos of the perpetrators’ vehicle, helping the Carroll County Sheriff’s Department identify the teenage pranksters on Thursday, July 24. Upon identification, the sheriff’s department called the victims to ask if they would like to press charges. One Holly Hills victim said they will have the teenagers do manual labor for them instead.

The Carroll County Sheriff’s Department asks that victims outside of McKenzie city limits contact them at 731-986-8947 and ask for Investigator Angel Furr. Victims inside McKenzie’s city limits are urged to call the McKenzie Police Department 1-731-352-2265 and speak with Investigator Kyle Beauchamp.