Acid-bomb victim leaves Rossmoor!
February 20, 2013 in Crime and police, Decency, Rossmoor, Safety By: Dave Emerson
(Rossmoor, 2/20/2013) Judging from the letter reprinted below, apparently it was a hate crime, whether the OC Sherriffs thought so or not!
Sadly, the head of the African-American family that was targeted by Acid Bombs early in December has decided to leave Rossmoor. (For details see our report, “Rossmoor acid bomb attack may be hate crime.”
The letter was originally sent to our Rossmoor “Shooting from the Hip” Columnists, Dave & Rebecca Lara, and was included in their Rossmoor Predator Management Team‘s weekly e-mail yesterday.
Read it and weep [bold italics added]:
I wanted to thank you [the Laras] for all of your help and support to me and my family after the acid bombs were found in our yard.
I can’t tell you how comforting it is to know that you understood how this event impacted me and my family.
After receiving the message from the investigator (J. Ferrante) on December 6th, who informed me that this was a childhood prank, I made the decision to move since I felt like our safety and peace of mind had been compromised.
I have received no follow-up since December 6th from Orange County Sheriff Department or Captain Doan.
It was a tough decision, but boy, was I ever glad I made it! When I returned from vacation on January 1st, I noticed that someone took target practice at my front door and threw oranges.
Yesterday, I noticed that someone put a full Christmas tree in front of the front door. Not sure how they were able to get a full Christmas tree transported and strategically placed with all of the increased patrols around the park, but they did.
At this point, my family has been targets of several harassing incidents:
1. Ringing my door bell in the middle of night in October.
2. Acid bombs found on my lawn in December.
3. Oranges thrown at the front door end of December/January.
4. Trash left on the front steps January 6
I called the Orange County Sheriff Department and reported the incidents. Not sure what more they can do.
Why us….that’s the question that we all ask. I work hard to provide my child with the best, which is why I chose Rossmoor. I am just as deserving of the “safe community” that everyone proclaims comes with a Rossmoor address.
If these are the actions of youths in the neighborhood, may their parents be proud!!! They are raising children with no regard to property and other lives that are allowed to run the streets in the middle of the night!
What’s most upsetting to me is the lack of concern of the neighbors. Do they not see any of these activities? Or if they see it, do they just not care?
Again, the few folks who reached out to me have been great, but a few folks are not a community. These types of activities can only be stopped if the community bands together.
I think most Los Al and Rossmoor residents recognize that the two communities may be separated by a political line and some demographics, but are joined by our schools and our kids and our traffic.
Our community has lost a family that no doubt had much to contribute.
Our community appears to have failed.
As always, your perspective, diplomatically presented in “family friendly” language is encouraged.
I’m confused. I constantly hear how happy the Rossmoor Predator Team is with the Orange County Sheriff Department and their patrolling of Rossmoor. But in this instance they are uncaring, insensitive, and incompatent. Which is it? You can’t have it both ways. If you really believe that this is some kind of conspiracy to call this a hate crime, then it’s time to get rid of the Orange County Sheriff
Dear D. Johnson: RPMT does not and will not provide a globalized response on any organization. We will provide proper recognition to any organization who provides exemplary service as to each incident.
RPMT was the only organization to warn Rossmoor Residents of the presence of acid bombs when they occurred. In directly speaking with Ms. Boatman, she apprised us that she was the only Black Family on Main Way who had their door bell being rung at all hours of the night, property pelted with oranges, etc. She took it upon herself to check with her neighbors who were not experiencing these events.
RPMT then interviewed the director of O.C. Human Relations Commission. The OCHRC trains law enforcement to properly identify and handle “Hate Crimes”. The OCHRC is identifying the 4 acid bombs left on Ms. Boatman’s property as a “Hate Crime”.
RPMT learned that OCSD North County Investigator Ferrante left a message on Ms. Boatman’s phone stating these were “pranks committed by youths.” We then contacted OCSD for their response.
RPMT informed OCSD that pranks were not a punishable crime under the California Penal Code. The OCSD then identified these bombs as a felony for each bomb. RPMT has written communication requesting if North County Investigator knows of the suspects of the felonies “committed by youths” and if so, will be charging them with the 4 felony counts. Upon receipt of this information, RPMT will publish the OCSD’s results in the handling of this investigation.