Man Arrested For Allegedly Threatening To Shoot Family Wearing 'Black Lives Matter' Shirts In Burlingame
BURLINGAME (CBS SF) -- A man was arrested and charged with making criminal threats and hate crimes after threatening to shoot a family wearing "Black Lives Matter" T-shirts at a Burlingame restaurant.
The incident happened on June 7 at Flights Restaurant in Burlingame. Police said the family of five, including three young children, were dining outside the restaurant when 55-year-old Steven Cibotti allegedly walked up to their table and threatened the group.
Burlingame police said Cibotti was arrested Thursday after an extensive investigation assisted by the San Mateo County District Attorney's Office.
District Attorney Steven Wagstaffe told the San Mateo Daily Journal that Cibotti allegedly pushed the table into the family and yelled "blue lives matter" and then said "if I had a gun I'd shoot all of you."
The family had traveled to Burlingame for dinner after attending a BLM protest in San Francisco, the Daily Journal said.
"We believe the evidence shows he was motivated by the Black Lives Matter shirts," Wagstaffe told the Daily Journal, adding that Cibotti is the father of a sergeant in the San Francisco Police Department.
Police said Cibotti left the area immediately following the incident. On Thursday, Cibotti was booked into the San Mateo County Jail on charges of criminal threats and hate crimes and posted $150,000 bail shortly after.
Cibotti was set to appear in court next week. If convicted of all the charges he faces a maximum prison sentence of 10 years.