SAN DIEGO — San Diego officials have announced steps aimed at increasing enforcement of hate crimes as the number of incidents across the city and county rise.
Local leaders on Monday announced a Crime Stoppers “Hate Crime Fund” to support the investigation and prosecution of hate crimes, putting up a $2,000 reward for tips that lead to arrests in hate crime cases. In addition, the San Diego Police Department announced they have created a Hate Crimes Unit to centralize investigations.
“Hate crimes have a profound impact on our communities and it has a lasting effect, both physically and emotionally, that is felt by all of us,” San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said in a news release. “Public safety is a shared mission, and we can’t do this alone. These tools will not only help us solve hate crimes, but also deter them in a real way.”
Hate crimes reported across San Diego County increased 39% from 2022 to 2023, according to a SANDAG report.
The San Diego County District Attorney’s Office prosecuted 30 hate crime cases in 2023. Twenty of these cases were race-based attacks and seven targeted the LGBTQ+ community, according to a release from the San Diego Police Department.
The Hate Crime Fund has received more than $18,000 in donations so far. Now, tips that lead to the arrest of a suspect in a felony hate crime could result in a $2,000 reward. The fund’s creation was spearheaded by City and County Commissioner Nicole Murray-Ramirez, who is also chair of the San Diego LGBTQ Historic Task Force.
“Today, we are sending a strong message to anyone thinking of committing a hate crime in San Diego County” said Nicole Murray-Ramirez. “Commit a hate crime and there will be a $2,000 reward for your capture.”
Current hate crime investigations
The San Diego Police Department is investigating several incidents that will be some of the first to draw on the Hate Crime Fund. Any information from the public that leads to an arrest will lead to a $2,000 reward.
The incidents include:
May 18, 2024 around 1 a.m.: People outside Rich’s Nightclub in Hillcrest were hit by gel pellet style gun out of a vehicle driving by.
September 8, 2024 around 2:15 a.m.: Three people were hit with a gel pellet style gun out of a moving vehicle. The victims were hit near Whole Foods Market at 700 University Avenue in Hillcrest.
August 4, 2024 at 7:45 p.m.: A white woman made derogatory comments at an elderly Hispanic woman on the 6300 block of El Cajon Boulevard. The victim ran into the center median to escape the woman.
September 10, 2024: A white man approached a Hispanic woman at Alcazar Garden in Balboa Park and made derogatory comments about her race, including telling her she “doesn’t belong here.” The man swung a cane at her. She was not injured.
Police encourage anyone with information about hate crimes to call SDPD at (619) 531-2000 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.