More than a dozen cops in California referred to black people as monkeys and gorillas and even threatened to shoot their black mayor in a series of racist texts, according to law enforcement.
Documents released by the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s office and the FBI show that 17 officers sent racist memes and messages filled with slurs to each other between 2019 to 2021, with one of the texts directed at Antioch Mayor Lamar Thorpe, a black man.
During the Black Lives Matter protests in June 2020, Officer John Ramirez, one of the accused officers, allegedly texted the group: “I’ll buy someone a prime rib dinner at House of prim rib to 40 that mfr [Thorpe] during the protest today.”
The message uses slang that refers to shooting someone with a 40-millimeter launcher, a so-called less lethal ammunition.
Other texts included calling George Floyd a “gorilla that died,” and the group allegedly gloating that they purposefully arrest people for “driving while black” and make up their confessions.
Thorpe and Antioch Police Chief Steven Ford, who is also black, condemned the texts, with the mayor storming out of a recent city council meeting after he believed a resident was trying to justify the messages.
“I am sick and tired of being attacked by these people in this community, apologizing for the racism that is going on,” Thorpe yelled as he left the stage.
The mayor later apologized for his outburst and said his team was committed to restore trust between the police department and the community.
“My colleagues who have chosen not to ignore racism will continue to work to build a police department that all segments of our community can trust,” he said.
The 17 cops under investigation are: Sergeant Josh Evans, Sergeant Rick Hoffman, Officer Eric Rombough, Detective Robert Gerber, Officer Jonathan Adams, Officer Morteza Amiri, Officer Scott Duggar, Officer Aaron Hughes, Officer Tom Smith, Officer Brock Marcotte, Officer Timothy Manly Williams, Officer Brayton Milner, Officer Calvin Prieto, Officer John Ramirez, Officer Andrea Rodriguez, Officer Kyle Smith and Officer Devon Wenger.
In one text from April 24, 2020, Evans allegedly threatened a black resident, texting Amiri, “I’ll bury that [N-word] in my fields.”
Five days later, the report said Amiri texted an officer in Brentwood about the way his colleagues do their job in Antioch, writing: “Since we don’t have video I sometimes just say people gave me a full confession when they didn’t. gets filed easier.”
On May 4, 2020, Hughes allegedly called black residents circus monkeys, and several officers poked fun at Floyd’s murder and the Black Lives Matter movement.
In the 21-page report regarding the texts, Rombough notably continued to refer to black people as animals, allegedly calling black women “water buffalo” and men “gorillas.”
He and other officers also allegedly admitted to pulling over black drivers on purpose just because of their race.
Rombough reportedly texted: “I’m only stopping them cuz they black. F*** them. Kill each other.”
Prieto allegedly wrote, “Make these n*as eat st. Yes of course.”
Officials say they are considering charging the suspected officers with assault under color of authority, fraud and other charges.
Ford, the police chief, said in a statement: “I condemn — in the strongest possible terms — the racially abhorrent content and incomprehensible behavior being attributed to members of the Antioch Police Department in media reports.”
“On behalf of our organization, I apologize to the Antioch Community for the hurt caused by this hateful speech,” he added. “I promise to hold accountable the officers expressing racist or bigoted beliefs, biased insensitivity, and those boasting about harming members of the community.”