In just one year from 2022 to 2023, the number of hate crimes reported in San Diego jumped 39%, according to government data detailed in a recent report.
A recent report from the San Diego Association of Governments documents crime statistics in San Diego County from 2021 to 2023. Although the SANDAG report shows crime overall continues to fall across the San Diego area, hate crimes are on the rise.
A hate crime in California is a criminal act motivated by the characteristics of the victim, which could include the person's actual or perceived race or ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, or physical or mental disability.
The report comes as police continue investigating two series of pellet gun attacks that have occurred in the Hillcrest community, with the most recent cases being investigated as a hate crime. An arrest was made in some of the crimes last week.
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The report revealed 133 hate crimes were reported by law enforcement across the San Diego area in 2023, which is up from 93 reports in 2022 and 81 reports two years ago.
Of the cases in 2023, 65% were committed against people and 35% were committed against property.
Most crimes (44%) were motivated by race, ethnicity or national origin. Of those cases, more than half were described as anti-Black, 12% were anti-Hispanic, 5% were anti-Asian, 5% were anti-White and 3% were anti-Arab. Another 17% were of other race or ethnicities.
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Crimes motivated by sexual orientation followed, making up 31% of incidents, the report found. About a quarter of reports were motivated by religion.
Kim Fountain, the Deputy CEO of the San Diego LGBT Community Center, said her community has been extra vigilant.
“It’s really a high concern for us, especially in Hillcrest where we’re seeing attacks on our community, you had the pellet gun attacks for instance,” Fountain said.
A 19-year-old was charged in the Sept. 7 Hillcrest attacks and was arraigned Friday. He is facing six counts of battery, each with hate crime allegations.
“I want that to stop. I don’t want that to be the community I live in,” Fountain said.
California law defines hate crimes as those motivated by a victim’s race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, or physical, or mental disability.
The pellet gun attacks also prompted San Diego Police to increase patrols in Hillcrest.
Dylan Vonderlinden said he’s noticed the presence of law enforcement in his neighborhood.
“I do see cop cars patrolling, cops stationed outside of bars in the local area,” Vonderlinden said.
He lives in Hillcrest and is a member of the LGBT community.
Although he’s had a positive experience since he moved there, he said hearing about the new numbers from the SANDAG report does raise safety concerns.
“It does evoke fear, but I would rather use that fear to motivate me to help my neighborhood and where I live,” Vonderlinden said.
Lakshmi Kirkire also moved to Hillcrest recently. She was surprised to learn race, sexual orientation, and religion-motivated hate crimes are on the rise in the area.
“It’s disappointing to see,” Kirkire said.
But fountain said the data will also help her community identify ways to make everyone feel safe.
“We all want our communities to thrive,” Fountain said.
Although there’s been an uptick in hate crimes, the report also notes that overall crime in San Diego is on decline.
