Apparent 'disturbing' Nazi salute photo leads to suspensions in West Virginia agency

Associated Press
Thursday, Dec. 5, 2019 4:17 p.m. | Thursday, Dec. 5, 2019 4:17 p.m.

Republican Gov. Jim Justice issued a statement Thursday condemning the photo and ordered the firing of those involved.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — After a photo surfaced of West Virginia correction officer trainees giving what appears to be the Nazi salute, state officials quickly suspended some employees and the governor ordered the firing of those involved.

The image, showing a more than two dozen trainees with their arms raised and faces blurred, was released Thursday by the West Virginia Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety. Before the photo was made public, the agency’s secretary, Jeff Sandy, released a memo describing the image of Basic Training Class Number 18 as “distasteful, hurtful, disturbing, highly insensitive, and completely inappropriate.” He wrote that the picture “betrays the professionalism I have seen time and time again displayed and practiced by our brave correctional employees.”

I counted 31 people in this photo. It depicts the WV Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation basic training class that graduated at the end of November doing a Nazi salute. We will have reaction tonight at 5/6 from Jewish leaders and state officials about the investigation pic.twitter.com/sNf9Xkj9UY

— Leslie Rubin (@LeslieRubinWCHS) December 5, 2019

Sandy’s memo ordered all copies of the picture destroyed or taken out of circulation to prevent them from spreading. He said an investigation of the incident is ongoing.

#BREAKING The photo of West Virginia corrections trainees doing a Nazi salute that lead to some employees being suspended and the governor ordering some to be fired has been released. https://t.co/bnFUP1mKL9 pic.twitter.com/0WGdZVef9U

— WOWK 13 News (@WOWK13News) December 5, 2019

Republican Gov. Jim Justice issued a statement Thursday condemning the photo and ordered the firing of those involved.

“This will not be tolerated on my watch — within the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation — or within any agency of state government,” said Justice.