Reese Waters: Racism is a Family Affair

The Storey County Sheriff's Office arrested Janis, Gary and Tiffany Miller on August 7 on various charges after Ricky Johnson said they called him a racial slur and assaulted him at a Hot August Nights event in Virginia City on August 2 while he was collecting signatures on a petition.

Gary Miller is charged with breach of the peace and an unlawful act because of actual or perceived race, his wife Janis is facing a battery charge and their daughter Tiffany is facing a delaying a peace officer.

Johnson said he approached the Miller group collecting signatures for a proposed ballot measure in Nevada during a Hot August Nights event. "The first thing that this guy said was 'Get the f*** out of my face with the N-word.' I said, 'What the f*** did you say?' He replied back to me 'I have a hanging tree in my backyard for n****** like (you)'" Johnson said.

Johnson started recording a video that has since been watched over 1 million times on TikTok. The clip begins with Johnson asking the man, later identified as Gary Miller, to repeat where the hanging tree is. Miller responds by saying the hanging tree is in Johnson's backyard.

Miller's wife Janis was also seen in the video touching Johnson on the arm and ushering Johnson away from the garage where the initial incident happened. Johnson said it was an assault and called for charges to be filed.