As the nation reels from the shooting spree that killed eight people — six of them Asian women — at Georgia massage parlors, San Diego-area law enforcement officials condemned racism, xenophobia and intolerance — and the crimes that stem from those hateful attitudes.
In a joint statement Friday, San Diego acting U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman, FBI Special Agent in Charge Suzanne Turner and District Attorney Summer Stephan decried recent increases in crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders across the nation and urged the public to report any and all hate-motivated offenses to the authorities.
"Acts of hate have no place in our community," Grossman said. "No one should be targeted because of who they are or where they are from. When someone is targeted because of their race or ethnicity, terror reverberates to every member of their community."
Members of all races, ethnicities and national origins "deserve to feel safe in their communities," Turner said.
"If a crime is shown to be motivated by bias, it will be investigated by the FBI and the perpetrators held responsible for their actions," Turner said. "Today, we are reminding the public to report information regarding any hate crime to the FBI."
The District Attorney's Office has documented a threefold increase in hate crimes targeting Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and is prosecuting several such cases, Stephan said.
"Hate crimes are despicable and inexcusable," Stephan said. "Protecting our community from hate crimes is a priority for my office because hate erodes our right to equality and fairness, leaves a lasting impact on the victim and instills fear in the wider community."
The U.S. Attorney's Office and the FBI review information and community reports about potential hate crimes for potential prosecution and provide assistance to local, state and tribal law enforcement with investigations of hate crimes through their participation in the San Diego Regional Anti-Hate Crime Coalition.
Members of the public may report a potential hate crime by calling 800-CALL-FBI or via the website www.fbi.gov/tips.
