BUFFALO, N.Y. — A Grand Island man is facing a felony charge for a hate crime, accused of sending threatening text messages to an unidentified African American victim over the course of several months.
The Erie County Sheriff's Office says Timothy Knight, Jr., 34, was arrested on Monday. Knight has been charged with 2nd Degree Aggravated Harassment -Hate Crime. Knight was arraigned Tuesday in Buffalo City Court and bail was set at $25,000.
The victim in this case is also from Grand Island and allegedly received threatening messages from Knight that included racial epithets.
2 On Your Side obtained a copy of the felony complaint filed against Knight that includes the alleged text messages sent to the man.
According to the complaint, on October 6th of last year, Knight sent the victim a text which reads; "I will break every bone in your body you understand me your going down in a lot of s___ m_____ f_____ cops can't save you anymore."
The text concludes, "I'm not playing with you dude. Keep messing with my wife n_____ and you be chained up and dragged. I'm from the south and don't deal with n______s, especially ones that threaten my wife."
On January 19th of this year, Knight is alleged to have sent the Grand Island man a text which ended, "you can shove that fake ass letter you sent us up your f______ black ass as well ur lucky I don't shove it down your f______ throat."
Then on February 2nd, this text: "I'm kicking the f______ door my g__ d___ self and handling things my way an it's not going to be pretty cause I'm getting extremely sick of it cause it dumb black ass don't do s___ about it so I will start taking things into my own hands around here seeing as worth worth less black ass won't."
(REPORTER'S NOTE: Texts recounted in this story are quoted from the felony complaint without corrections to spelling, grammar or punctuation.)
Knight's arrest came after the District Attorney's office investigated and consulted with the sheriff's office. At his arraignment today, Judge JaHarr Pridgen set bail at $25,000. As of 3pm, Knight was still being held at the Erie County Holding Center.
