Antioch hate crime victims’ residence spray painted with N-word, swastikas, burned by fire from Molotov cocktails Wednesday morning
By Sergeant Dimitri Barakos #2176, Community Policing Bureau
This morning, Wednesday, September 07, 2016, at approximately 3:12 a.m. the Antioch Police Department received a call of a house fire at a residence in the 5100 block of McCormick Court. Officers determined that an unknown responsible spray painted a racial slur and a swastika on the victim’s residence. The responsible also threw Molotov cocktails at the residence, catching the roof and bushes on fire. Damage to the residence was minimal and no one was injured.
“The APD is treating this incident as very serious,” said Chief Allan Cantando during a press conference at the Antioch Police Facility, this morning. “The members of this department and myself, and our community are appalled and disgusted by this event.”
“Currently, we have multiple investigators assigned for this incident, as well as working with Con Fire Arson Investigator, [Vic] Massenkoff.”
This morning I had the opportunity to visit with the family…and explained to them we will be putting a lot of resources towards this incident to bring the perpetrators to justice,” the chief continued. “This is a case that we are going to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law.”
Asked if it was Jewish family, with the spray painting of swastikas on the house, Cantando responded, “There was some painted racial slurs on the house, the N-word was painted on a couple different parts of the home, that’s why we’re treating this as a hate crime.” He confirmed that swastikas were painted on the house, as well.
The victims are an African American family, made up of three adults and four children, according to Massenkoff. The oldest daughter, an adult, is the one who “awoke to it and alerted her mother to the fire.”
According to a question from KRON-4 News TV reporter, Terisa Estacio, the home owner said there was some surveillance video and described the perpetrator as a caucasian man driving a distinctive vehicle.
Cantando would not confirm that information, stating “when we have more details on that, we will be putting that out.
“We are looking for more surveillance video for the media’s help and the public’s help to solve this crime as soon as possible,” he added.
In a late night press release announcing a press conference for Thursday at 5:00 p.m., Antioch Mayor Wade Harper offered his thoughts.
“I have received the report from the Antioch Police Department regarding the hate crime committed against a family on McCormick Court today in the City of Antioch,” he stated. “It is difficult for me to understand why anyone would commit such hateful acts against anyone. Make no mistake this is a senseless act that will not be tolerated in any way, form or fashion.”
The case is still under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call the Antioch Police Call Detective Allendorph at 779-6933. You may also text an anonymous tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using the key word ANTIOCH.
To view a video of the press conference, please see the Antioch Herald Facebook page at www.facebook.com/antiochheraldca. To see video showing the damage to home on KRON-4’s website, click here.
