A review of Dallas crime statistics found that a total of nine hate crimes have been reported year-to-date.
Reported hate crimes constituted 0.26% of the 1,129 aggravated assaults reported, 0.14% of the 2,065 simple assaults, and 0.18% of assaults by intimidation, according to City data.
The nine offenses represent 0.06% of the 14,025 reported crimes in Dallas in 2023 through Monday, February 27.
According to the City of Dallas Open Data crime analytics dashboard, seven of those offenses were classified as crimes against a person, and two were designated as property crimes.
All seven crimes against a person were assault offenses: three aggravated assaults, three simple assaults, and one assault by intimidation. However, incidents varied by victim race, victim age, and geography.
The seven reported assault offenses represent just a fraction of the surge in assaults seen since the beginning of the year.
District 12, represented by City Councilwoman Cara Mendelsohn, saw the most reported hate crimes out of any council district, with all three alleged simple assaults taking place within her jurisdiction.
Two aggravated assaults were reported in Councilman Chad West’s District 1, and one was reported in District 7, represented by Councilman Adam Bazaldua.
The lone assault by intimidation hate crime was committed in Councilman Paul Ridley’s District 14.
DPD shared some details on one of the incidents with The Dallas Express on Thursday.
Officers were dispatched on January 3 to the 2600 block of West Jefferson Boulevard in District 1, where two victims told them that two unknown suspects approached them and tried to start an altercation, brandishing a gun and calling them names while they followed them.
A DPD spokesperson told The Dallas Express that the department uses the FBI’s definition of a hate crime, which is a “criminal offense against a person or property motivated in whole or in part by an offender’s bias against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, or gender identity.”
It is currently unclear on what basis the alleged hate crimes discussed above were committed.
“Any offense deemed a hate crime will be investigated by the unit with primary investigative responsibility, and the hate crimes detective will assist with the investigation. Hate crimes require proof of motivation for successful application of the hate crime statutes and we work closely with our federal partners on any offenses classified as hate crimes,” the DPD spokesperson told The Dallas Express.
