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KPBS Midday Edition

Sheriff To Investigate Incident Of KKK-Style Hooded Man In Santee Grocery Store

A screenshot of a Facebook post showing a man wearing a Ku Klux Klan-style hood inside a Santee grocery store on May 2, 2020.
Tiam Tellez
A screenshot of a Facebook post showing a man wearing a Ku Klux Klan-style hood inside a Santee grocery store on May 2, 2020.
On Saturday a man shopping in a Santee Vons store while wearing a Ku Klux Klan-style hood stunned shoppers. Photos of the man appeared all over social media, raising concerns from public officials and citizens alike.

On Saturday a man shopping in a Santee Vons store while wearing a Ku Klux Klan-style hood stunned shoppers. Photos of the man appeared all over social media, raising concerns from public officials and citizens alike.

The incident riveted the region and made news across the country.

According to news reports, several Vons employees asked the middle-aged white man to take off his hood or leave the store. He took it off, paid for his groceries, and left.

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The San Diego County Sheriff has launched an investigation into the man.

The East County city of Santee, with a population around 59,000, was long known for harboring pockets of skinheads and other racist groups. Recently, the city has worked to overcome that image and the nickname "Klantee."

Santee Mayor John Minto and San Diego County Supervisor Dianne Jacob were among many who denounced the man and his actions.

Tammy Gillies, regional director for the Anti-Defamation League, talks with KPBS Midday Edition on Monday about the implications of this incident and whether hate crimes are on the rise in San Diego.

KPBS has created a public safety coverage policy to guide decisions on what stories we prioritize, as well as whose narratives we need to include to tell complete stories that best serve our audiences. This policy was shaped through months of training with the Poynter Institute and feedback from the community. You can read the full policy here.