Video: Person of interest sought in racist threats against San Francisco Alamo Square dog walker
SAN FRANCISCO – Police in San Francisco are searching for a person of interest in connection with a hate crime involving racist threats in the Alamo Square neighborhood earlier this year.
On the morning of April 26, police said officers were called to a home on the 900 block of Grove Street about threats being received. The victim told police that he found threatening and racist items that were left near his building.
The date and location coincide with the initial report by a professional dog walker, who said he twice received packages at his home with racist messages, including a doll with a noose around its neck and images of the Ku Klux Klan. Terry Williams said he received the two packages within a span of 10 days.
Two weeks later, a fire gutted Williams's home while he was at a San Francisco City Hall meeting with local officials to discuss the hate crimes. His elderly parents were at the home at the time and were treated at a hospital, and the fire destroyed virtually all of Williams's possessions.
Last week, neighbors held a fundraiser to rally support around Williams and his family.
Police on Friday released surveillance photos and video of the person in question from the April 26 incident. The surveillance video shows a person in dark clothing carrying what appears to be a paper bag.
The case was being investigated as a hate crime, police said.
"The San Francisco Police Department does not tolerate racism of any kind. No one should be targeted because of their race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or any other shared characteristic," police said in a statement.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact San Francisco Police at 415-575-4444 or to text TIP411, beginning the message with SFPD.
