What to Know
- Police say they have no evidence the killing of a black man in Long Beach was racially motivated
- Frederick Taft, 57, was shot to death during a family reunion July 21 at Pan American Park
- Some in the community were concerned that the case may be a hate crime, but police said they had no evidence to suggest it was
Police said Thursday that they had no evidence that the killing of an African American man at a Long Beach park restroom was a racially motivated.
Frederick Taft, 57, was shot to death during a family reunion July 21 at Pan American Park, 5157 E. Centralia St., Long Beach police said. The suspect was described as a white man in his 50s, police said.
Some in the community were concerned that the case may be a hate crime, but police said they had no evidence to suggest it was.
"We are respectful of the elevated community concerns after such a violent incident," Long Beach police said in a news release. "The motive for this crime has not yet been determined and is still under investigation. The Police Department will not classify a criminal act as a hate crime unless there is evidence present that meets this legal standard."
Family and friends were devastated. They said it happened quick and some said they thought it was racially motivated after noticing racist graffiti on a park bench.
Anyone with information was asked to call LBPD homicide detectives Michael Hubbard and Adrian Garcia at 562-570-7244 or LA Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).
