SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — The pellet gun shootings at LGBTQ bars in Hillcrest are the latest incidents resulting from discrimination in San Diego. That’s according to the San Diego Association of Governments, which reported 133 hate crimes last year, a 39% increase from 2022.
"A hate crime against one community is a hate crime against all of us,” said Nicole Murray-Ramirez, the city commissioner.
Nicole Murray-Ramirez decided to raise money for a hate crime fund to reward witnesses for coming forward with information. He says the LGBTQ community donated $18,000. Any time a tip leads to an arrest in a felony hate crime, the tipster could receive up to $2,000 from that fund.
“We believe that $2,000 will get some of their accomplices or friends to turn them in," Murray-Ramirez said. "But what we’re hoping for is, once they hear about this reward, they’ll think twice before doing something.”
On Monday, the San Diego Police Department also announced a new unit dedicated to fighting hate crime. Officers will work alongside the District Attorney’s office to prosecute suspects.
“Every police report that’s submitted is reviewed by experts in the hate crimes unit to see if there is a hate crime allegation that can be brought,” said SD County District Attorney Summer Stephan.
Stephan chose the first four cases where witnesses could be rewarded. Two are pellet gun shootings, and the two others are physical assaults on people of color.
“It makes no sense that this still exists, but as long as it exists, we have to fight it with all our might,” Stephan said.
Stephan says her office prosecuted 30 hate crimes last year. She’s hopeful the witness reward will encourage San Diegans to pay attention, take down license plate numbers, and look for identifiable characteristics in perpetrators.
If you did witness a violent incident and you'd like to report it, call the District Attorney's Office at 619-515-8805 or email them at hatecrimes@sdcda.org.
