A Kansas University professor has reported being threatened after appearing on television criticizing as “disrespectful and racist” a display at a Kansas City, Kan., sporting goods store.

John Hoopes, a KU anthropology professor, told Lawrence Police he received threatening e-mail after criticizing Cabela’s last week on a KCTV5 news program. The outdoor equipment and clothing store opened this month in a 180,000-square-foot building near the Kansas Speedway, 30 minutes east of Lawrence.

Cabela's, pictured above, recently opened near the Kansas Speedway, and its shooting gallery of villagers and animals in a simulated East African village has offended some, including Kansas University professor John Hoopes. However, Hoopes received his own publicity after speaking out against the store.

A shooting gallery at the store, Hoopes said, encouraged Cabela’s customers to shoot electronic rifles at targets in a simulated East African village, with electronic “villagers” moving around in the display.

Hoopes called the gallery “disrespectful and racist” in an e-mail he sent urging friends and colleagues to complain to the store.

“The fact that the African figures move (as with ducks or other targets in a traditional shooting gallery) makes it clear that they are too considered imaginary targets for the shooters,” he wrote.

Hoopes reported to Lawrence police on Thursday that he had received a threatening e-mail on the matter. The police report was made public Monday.

The sender put Hoopes’ address in the “To” field more than 300 times, in an apparent attempt to clog Hoopes’ mailbox. The subject was “Enjoy your ’15 Minutes’ of fame?”

“What is your hidden agenda?” the sender wrote. “Why aren’t you also upset with the white people that are displayed in the very same shooting gallery? Why are you using your classroom (which my tax dollars fund) to push your opinions on others? If you don’t like the display, don’t go there!”

Attached to the e-mail was a cartoon depicting people in Arab dress at an “Afghanistan School of Suicide Bombers,” with a character covered with dynamite.

“Given the atmosphere, as we approach the anniversary of Sept. 11, I didn’t think the cartoon should be taken lightly,” Hoopes said.

He declined to share the sender’s e-mail address. Lawrence Police Sgt. Mike Pattrick said investigators were working to confirm the sender’s identity.

John Castillo, assistant store manager for the Kansas City Cabela’s, said the e-mail message to Hoopes “has nothing to do with Cabela’s.” Five people, including Hoopes, had complained about the display, he said.

And he rejected Hoopes’ interpretation of the display as racist or encouraging customers to shoot at people.

“Oh gosh, no, absolutely not,” Castillo said. “There are people of all races in the display. At no time are we targeting people as targets.”