3 Arrested After Racist Incident in Nevada Shared in Viral TikTok: 'All of Them Just Ganged Up on Me'

Mar. 15, 2025

From left: Janis Miller, Gary Miller and Tiffany Miller.Photo:Storey County Sheriff’s Office

Storey County Sheriff’s Office

Content warning: The following article contains descriptions of racist hate speech.

TikTok userunclerickyd1posted the video, which starts with a White man — now identified as Gary Miller — holding up his two middle fingers and smiling in Virginia City, Nev.

“Keep talking,” the TikTok user, who has beenidentified as Ricky Johnson, says, before referencing a threat Miller allegedly made to him involving a “hanging tree.”

“And where’s the tree at to hang people at? Where is that? Where is the hanging tree at?” Johnson says.

Miller responds: “In your backyard.”

Later in the video, after Miller tells Johnson to leave, Johnson says, “Make me leave,” to which Miller responds, “I don’t make trash, I burn it.”

Now, after an investigation, theStorey County Sheriff’s Officehas announced that Gary Miller, Janis Miller and Tiffany Miller have all three been arrested and charged with misdemeanors in connection with the Aug. 2 incident.

Gary has been charged with breach of peace. Janis, whois reportedly his wife, has been charged with battery. Tiffany, reportedly their daughter, has been charged with obstructing and delaying a peace officer. It is unclear if they’ve retained an attorney to speak on their behalf.

Gary Miller.Storey County Sheriff’s Office

Thefive-minute, six-second TikTok videoalso shows a woman, now identified as Janis, ushering Johnson off of the sidewalk and down the street.

“You’re steady touching me, ma’am,” Johnson says in the video. “This is assault.”

While his voice begins to shake, Johnson says to the crowd of people around him, “Ya’ll are going to allow this s— to happen, like nobody cares?”

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He is also heard speaking to a younger woman about what allegedly transpired before he began recording, saying: “Your dad just said there’s a hanging tree for n—— like me. What does that mean? And I did not disrespect your dad. I asked him nicely, ‘Excuse me sir, are you a registered voter?’ He said ‘No,’ I said, ‘Thank you,’ then he turned around and said, ‘There’s a hanging tree down the road for n—— like me.’

“And all of them just ganged up on me,” Johnson says through tears before the video ends.

According toFox 11, Johnson was gathering signatures for a proposed Nevada ballot initiative when the incident began.

The incident occurred during aHot August Nights car show in Virginia City, Nev.,on Aug. 2. The organization has since said the people in the video have had theirHot August Nights registrations revoked.

Virginia City has also made a statement in connection with the incident, theReno Gazette Journalreports.

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source: people.com