March 19, 2024

Statement from Broward State Attorney Harold F. Pryor and the Broward State Attorney’s Office:

“Hate crimes are among the most heinous and serious crimes that my office handles. During this time of heightened volatility in South Florida and around the nation, I want to assure everyone in our community that vigorously pursuing hate crimes is a top priority for me and the Broward State Attorney’s Office.

While we cannot discuss individual cases that will be handled by my office, I can tell you that police officers conduct initial investigations and make arrests before they submit cases to prosecutors for review.

When that happens, the Broward State Attorney’s Office Hate Crimes Unit will conduct a full, independent review of all of the evidence, facts, and circumstances in all potential hate crime cases before making any decision about what formal charges should be filed.

No decisions will be made until after cases are submitted and our Hate Crimes Unit prosecutors review all of the material evidence, facts, and circumstances.

Public safety and fairness in justice for all are always my top priorities. Our Hate Crimes Unit filed 23 hate crime cases from the start of 2021 through the end of 2023 and hosted numerous community events and training sessions to educate and encourage residents to report hate crimes, raise awareness, and deter offenders.

If you are the victim of a hate crime or you witness a hate crime, please call 911 or your local law enforcement agency. I also urge you to contact our Hate Crimes Unit at https://browardsao.com/hate-crimes-unit/ ”