Sacramento man arrested after Shasta County shooting being investigated as hate crime
Detectives arrested a Sacramento man who reportedly used a racial slur before shooting two people over the weekend in Shasta County during an apparent unprovoked attack that is being investigated as a hate crime, sheriff’s officials said.
Silas Matthew Hesselberg was arrested on suspicion of two counts of attempted homicide and one count of a civil rights violation, according to a news release from the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office.
Hesselberg, 21, was booked at the Shasta County Jail, where he was being held Tuesday afternoon with his bail set at $1 million, according to jail records.
About 11:30 a.m. Sunday, sheriff’s deputies were called to the Salt Creek Boat Ramp in Lakehead, about 30 miles north of Redding. The deputies, on their way to the shooting scene, were notified that witnesses in the area detained the suspect, later identified as Hesselberg.
Deputies, who arrived and found two gunshot victims, took Hesselberg into custody without incident.
The victims were taken to a hospital. Sheriff’s officials said Monday evening that one victim was treated and released the same day, while the other remained there and is in critical condition.
Detectives from the Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit were called and took over the shooting investigation. The detectives then questioned Hesselberg.
They learned the victims and their families were near the boat ramp when they were approached by Hesselberg for no apparent reason, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff’s officials said Hesselberg immediately called one of the victims a racial slur before pulling a handgun from his pocket and shooting both victims. The shooting is being investigated as a hate crime.
“The Shasta County Sheriff’s Office wants to remind the public, any crimes motivated by hatred or other biases will not be tolerated, they will be investigated seriously and be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” sheriff’s officials said in the news release.
The Sheriff’s Office did not release any further information about the incident, including the circumstances or language directed toward the victims.
Investigators asked anyone with information about this shooting to call the Shasta County Major Crimes Unit at 530-245-6135 or send an email to MCU@co.shasta.ca.us.
