By Annelise Pierce
This story was originally published by Shasta Scout and is republished here with permission.
REDDING, Calif. — A crowd of about fifty gathered at the Redding Library on Sunday where social justice advocates representing several local organizations gave a press briefing regarding an alleged hate crime that occurred in Shasta County last week.
Tom O’Mara of the Shasta Equal Justice Coalition read aloud from a letter to the district attorney thanking the department for prosecuting an Igo-based man who is accused of the crime after allegedly firing shots at a family while shouting racial slurs.
“Members of a protected class,” O’Mara read from the letter, “indeed, all the members of our community deserve to know that our law enforcement community recognizes and supports their fundamental civil rights.”
Abu Bakr Salhuddin, the imam of the Islamic Center of Redding, also spoke to the crowd on Sunday, emphasizing how words can be used for both good and for evil.
“One of the teachings that we have in Islam is that the tongue is very small, not a lot of weight, but it’s firmer than anything that we know of,” Bakar said. “That’s why we have to be very careful with the things that we say, things that come out of our mouth, because words make people.”
The alleged crime occurred on July 8 around 8 p.m. in Igo, an unincorporated part of the county that lies west of Redding. According to the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office, an individual, who was later identified as 68-year-old Timothy Ray Thompson, pulled up to the family’s home and fired multiple shots from a shotgun at the residence while yelling racial slurs. The family who lived there, including a husband, wife and three children, were outside at the time. No one was injured.
Thompson has been charged with a hate crime, amongst other charges including threatening with intent to terrorize, assault with a firearm, shooting at an inhabited dwelling, child abuse, and illegal possession of an assault weapon. The victims said they had no prior contact with Thompson. The incident remains under investigation. A review of court filings show Thompson has only faced charges in Shasta once before, for misdemeanors related to cultivation and possession of marijuana with intent to sell.
Mary Jane McDonald, a neighbor of the victims, spoke up during the press conference on Sunday, saying she believes Thompson should also be charged with attempted murder. She spoke to Shasta Scout afterwards explaining that the incident has made her afraid to go outside, in part because she’s dark-haired with olive skin and fears being misidentified as Latina.
The adult female victim of the alleged crime also spoke to Shasta Scout through a translator, asking that her name be withheld for safety reasons. She said law enforcement was quick to respond during the incident and that there was no real delay while waiting for translation services on the phone.
But since the incident, she said she hasn’t heard from law enforcement or any other officials about what’s happening in the case, including what charges have been filed, how long the process will take and whether the alleged perpetrator has been released from jail. That’s made her unsure how afraid for her safety she should be.
In a soft, hesitant voice, she said she was also unaware that the cross street of her address would be shared by law enforcement in a press release about the incident. She added that she wished she had been given the opportunity to consider relocating for safety reasons, noting that until this incident occurred, she’s never felt afraid for her safety in Shasta County.
Shasta County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Tim Mapes responded to questions by sharing a press release from Sheriff Michael Johnson, saying that the county stands united against hate, sheriff’s deputies are trained to identify hate crimes, and encouraging the community to report all suspected hate crimes to the police.
“Considering a recent alleged hate crime that occurred in our community,” Johnson wrote, “the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office wants to speak directly to you, the people we serve and protect.”
“Let us be completely clear: Hate has no home in Shasta County,” the sheriff continued in the press release. “Crimes motivated by bias, hatred, or bigotry not only harm individuals and families — they strike at the heart of who we are as a community. Hate crimes generate fear, division and pain; therefore, these crimes will not be tolerated.”
A family member of the victims said Sunday that she has been translating press releases from the county into Spanish and sharing them with the victims in hopes of relieving their fears about the alleged perpetrator of last week’s crime. Those press releases, which have all been in English, indicate that Thompson is currently being held without bail due to the “extreme danger” he allegedly poses to society.
After Shasta Scout reached out to the DA’s Office for comment on any specific policies regarding providing information and resources to victims of hate crimes, spokesperson Briona Sisneros said a victim advocate has been assigned to the case and will work with the victims to provide a “wide variety of resources” including those available through the California Victims Compensation Board. She noted services from the state are often delayed.
What is a hate crime?
Calilfornia law defines a hate crime as any crime that’s motivated by the victim’s real or perceived protected social group. Protected characteristics include an individual’s gender, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation and disabilities.
California’s 2024 Hate Crime Report indicates that there were 20 hate crime incidents in Shasta County last year, with a total of 23 victims.
Under California law, law enforcement authorities are prohibited from asking individuals who are reporting a crime, including a hate crime, about their immigration status. Mapes of the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that individuals reporting crimes in Shasta will not be questioned about their immigration status.
The California Hate Crime Rapid Response Protocol can be activated by the state in cases where hate crimes result in homicide, arson with significant damage or mass casualties.
California’s Civil Rights Department offers some resources for victims, including grants that can be utilized by community organizations to provide victim services, including relocation. The California Attorney General’s Office Victims’ Service Unit can be contacted online or by calling 877-433-9060.
Hate crimes can be reported through the California’s Civil Rights Department anonymously online or by calling 1-833-8NO-HATE on weekdays between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.
This story is part of “Aquí Estamos/Here We Stand,” a collaborative reporting project of American Community Media and ethnic/community news outlets statewide tracking how current White House policies are impacting Californians, especially in rural regions, and how residents are responding.
