BOISE, Idaho — On September 24, Police responded to reports of a man wielding a knife while chasing a group around 6th and Bannock in downtown Boise. When officers arrived, they found the suspect in question near 8th and Bannock, where they detained him.
Upon further investigation officers discovered the man, Shawn Schmidt, threatened a group of people downtown, calling them racial slurs as he threatened them with his weapon. Reports from the Boise Police indicate that Schmidt took action based on the race of the victims.
Officers also determined that Schmidt used his knife to inflict wounds on himself before police arrived at the scene. The suspect was taken to a nearby hospital and medically cleared before being booked into the Ada County Jail on 4 counts of felony aggravated assault and 3 counts of felony malicious harassment.
"When BPD officers respond to serious incidents like this one, they work hard to resolve them peacefully, while protecting those in danger. Being safe, and feeling safe, while out in Boise is something our officers work hard to protect and crimes involving threats or assault against another person will not be tolerated, especially when those alleged crimes are motivated by hatred due to someone's race or ethnicity. Boise, as a community, is better than that and together we stand against hatred and violence," said Boise Police Chief Ron Winegar.
