The Madison Police Department apprehended a man on Feb. 25 after an incident involving racial slurs and threats near the 400 block of West Gilman Street.
Jose Espinoza, 58, was arrested for disorderly conduct with a hate crime enhancer and intimidation of a victim around 8:20 p.m.
A witness listed in the press release reported seeing Espinoza yelling racial slurs and threatening bystanders. After an attempt to leave the area, Espinoza was taken into custody and transported to Dane County Jail.
MPD's Hate Crime Task Force, launched on Jan. 3 intended to combat Wisconsin’s rising bias-motivated threats and violence, was notified about the incident. The task force aims to identify and prevent hate crimes in the area, according to the City of Madison.
The new task force was launched on Jan. 3 after the City of Madison reported hate crimes have "basically doubled" in Wisconsin in recent years. The multidisciplinary team comprises of members from investigative, community outreach and records units.
