New Hampshire man shoots self in head after gun permit links him to racist graffiti

A New Hampshire man who had been accused of scrawling racist graffiti on the homes of African immigrants was hospitalized recently after shooting himself in the head.

According to court records obtained by the Concord Monitor, 43-year-old tattoo artist Raymond Stevens attempted suicide last week by walking into a cemetery and firing one round into his head. He reportedly survived the shooting but his current condition was not known.

In October, Steven had been charged in connection with racist graffiti written on the home of three African immigrants in 2011.

"Your subhuman culture has already brought many crimes linked to your mud people," one message said. "You are not welcome here... You lower the value and safety of our good town... You bring death wherever your cursed people go."

Messages on another home in August described a Somali family as “scum” and “primitive beasts."

On Facebook, Stevens noted that he was a "proud Aryan man" and often posted screeds against President Barack Obama. He was also known to be a member of white supremacist groups and sing in a heavy metal band.

The Associated Press reported that the Pembroke tattoo artist was eventually busted after police matched the graffiti to handwriting on gun permits. Stevens had the habit of writing a lowercase "b" like the number six.

After shooting himself, prosecutors asked the Merrimack County Superior Court to revoke Stevens' bail because he violated the terms of his release by carrying a gun.

Watch this video from the Nashua Telegraph, broadcast Oct. 15, 2013.