Alleged Hate Crime in Igo Leads to Charges, Community Response
A victim of the alleged hate crime told Shasta Scout they received help quickly when the incident first occurred but haven’t had any contact from law enforcement or the district attorney’s office since, leaving them concerned for their safety.
Photo by Annelise Pierce.
Para leer el artículo en español, haz clic aquí.
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.
Do you have a correction to share? Email us: editor@shastascout.org
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How does one report a hate crime online anonymously to the California Civil rights department. You may not leave your name and address, but your IP address can be obtained by the organization
There is alot of scrutiny in this place as of late… from on high, Sacto et al.
Wow! The above reads like a movie script! So much supposition
You just can’t have an ounce of sympathy for anyone, can you Jon?
I’m replying to Christian
Well, considering the cops released some big statement on their Facebook page about not having hate and all that stuff, you should keep feet on fires about why he isn’t getting help, and is being ignored.
You have been completely propagandized. You couldn’t be more wrong about how the world works.
Good Keep him locked up and anyone like him. Hate has no place in Shasta County
Annelise, thanks for reporting on the press conference. The alleged hate crime may be indicative of a growing racist white nationalism that is too often fueled by Trump and his administration, as evidenced by a pattern of cruelty and using ICE as his private militia, to rip apart families and communities, and jeopardizing Americans’ security. In fact, some white nationalist militia members now impersonate ICE! Trump has staffed key positions with people who have spread racist conspiracies and even defended January 6 violence and insurrectionists who openly assaulted law enforcement. The danger is the normalization and internalization of hate crimes, political violence, and racism by some, who may think they have a permission structure given to them by Trump to do so, is real and a present danger. Missing from your article is that the press conference was hastily arranged by the organizers of the Good Trouble Movie screening, a celebration of the work and life of the late Congressional Representative John Lewis, scheduled that day at the library, when Eddie suggested we hold a press conference to let our community know that There Is No Room For Racism In Shasta County! The movie organizers readily made the presser a part of the afternoon! By The Way, the movie event was opened by a presentation by DR. Sims, and if you missed that, you missed a significant opportunity to understand some of the concepts of nonviolent Good Trouble, a concept that will be the focus of the National John Lewis Good Trouble event this July 17th, at the Redding Civic Center, starting around 5:00 PM. Perhaps Mr. Timothy Ray Thompson acted in full awareness, or perhaps he is mentally ill.; if so, may God help him. But the illness of extreme Trumpism is a sickness threatening the United States of America. Hopefully, enough people will be concerned, and non-violent Good Trouble action, as instructed by Dr. Marten Luther King and the late John Lewis, is a medication to ward off the sickness of racism and violence.
Amen!
Christian, It is really disappointing to read your response, which immediately makes a leap to President Trump and those of us, your fellow Americans, who support him as our duly elected President. We love America, and we respect the office of the President. Why would you seek to continue division and hatred after reading about this horrible crime? I suggest you consider how you can be part of the solution rather than part of the problem. Hatred in any form is evil and will only cause more pain and cruelty. Stop with the hate-mongering.
Outstanding! This is the proper response! Unfortunately, the editor probably enjoys her comments! Rife with group think as opposed to common sense. Tons of supposition!
“Unfortunately, the editor probably enjoys her comments!”
You do realize that what you say is supposition???
Oh, irony…
If — as you say– you ” respect the office of the President” why then did you vote to tarnish that office with a documented and convicted felon, sex offender and grifter?
Charges are being dropped!
Besisides being evil and divisive do you know that hatred is very bad for your mental well being?
Barb: Please keep your comments directed at policies and officials rather than targeting fellow commenters. It is not hate to point out the criminal offenses of public officials.
You invoked my name, so here’s my response. You love and support a white nationalist whose racism is very well documented, who has been convicted as an adjudicated rapist in a court of law, who has been convicted for 34 felonies, in a court of law, who continues to lie about elections, who likes to
“Grab Them By the P—-, ” who endorses and advocates violence, who even threatens to strip American-born citizens of their citizenship and deport them because they refuse to accept his politics. Disappointed? No, I don’t foresee you and I agreeing on much, but I hope you do agree on this; support Shasta Scout by giving a few $$ because Scout represents The First Amendment, even though many of the MAGA would call Scout “Fake News” or “Enemy of the people.” If you can’t understand how Trump is dividing and radicalizing people into violence, as some of the J6 Defendants have articulated, no, I’m not disappointed, see and believe what you will. But the majority don’t like it and will not sit back and drink your Kool-Aid. Nope, it’s not hate, it’s anger that Trump and MAGA have brought this country to the brink of fascism. And when we see it clearly, we will take action within the law.