A T.N. man flipped his middle finger at a war memorial. Then he was shot dead.

Albert Sturgill Jr. was pacing alone at a memorial site for veterans, flipping his middle finger to the American flag and the monuments erected to honor generations of fallen soldiers

Albert Sturgill Jr. was pacing alone at a memorial site for veterans, flipping his middle finger to the American flag and the monuments erected to honor generations of fallen soldiers.

He was known for displaying such behavior at the war memorial and in other parts of the small conservative city of Crossville, Tennessee, due to his deep-rooted disdain for the government, resentment from being rejected by the military and possible mental health issues, his family and residents said.

“He’s real noticeable,” said Larry Doster, a longtime store owner who works near the memorial. “He’s done the same thing numerous other times.”

Sturgill tried not to engage with anyone angered by his actions, according to his niece, Crystal Sturgill, who lives close by. But on Aug. 22, he found himself facing off with a crowd.

During a chaotic confrontation with three men in connection to the obscene gesture, Sturgill, 63, was shot in the neck and later died from his injuries. The incident was captured on video and has sparked outrage from the victim’s family and other residents of the city who say his death was far from justified.