FBI ON TRAIL OF SUSPECT IN HATE CRIMES : FUGITIVE SOUGHT IN A.V.Byline: Bhavna Mistry Daily News Staff Writer FBI agents searched the Antelope Valley This article is about the Los Angeles County region. For the census-designated place in Wyoming, see Antelope Valley-Crestview, Wyoming. The Antelope Valley on Wednesday for a reputed skinhead skinhead Member of an international youth subculture characterized by hair and dress styles evoking aggression and physical toughness. Typical skinhead style includes shaved heads, combat boots, tattoos, and prominent body piercings. who escaped federal custody while awaiting trial for an attack that triggered a string of hate crimes in the summer. Danny Edward Williams There have been several well-known people named Edward Williams, including:
``We want him back in custody,'' said FBI supervisor Gary Auer. ``We're checking everywhere and doing everything we can.'' Williams, who was expected to go to trial in March, was facing charges in a July 8 attack in which a 16-year-old African-American was attacked with a machete by three reputed skinheads Noun 1. skinheads - a youth subculture that appeared first in England in the late 1960s as a working-class reaction to the hippies; hair was cropped close to the scalp; wore work-shirts and short jeans (supported by suspenders) and heavy red boots; involved in attacks who jumped out of a car as he walked along Avenue J with his 17-year-old cousin. Williams also was charged in an April 28 attack on an African-American man who was hit by a baseball bat outside a Lancaster video store. Within 10 days of the July 8 attack, four more hate crimes were reported. The string of violence prompted a Lancaster City Hall peace rally, establishment of a hate crimes hotline and creation of a human relations human relations npl → relaciones fpl humanas task force. Agents said they believe Williams is hiding with friends in the Antelope Valley. They said they already had checked with relatives, but found no sign of him. ``He's on the run,'' Auer said. ``He has friends here; it's possible he could be here.'' Williams is white, 5 feet, 9 inches, and 170 pounds with green eyes, brown hair and numerous tattoos: a swastika on his left hand, a hooded Ku Klux Klan Ku Klux Klan (k  ' klŭks klăn), designation mainly given to two distinct secret societies that played a part in American history, although other less important groups have also used figure on his left shoulder, ``666''
behind his left ear and a Viking on his left inner arm.
Williams had been sent to the private, nonprofit Impact Residential Drug Treatment Center, which boasts of homelike living quarters on a 3.5-acre compound and which treats federal prisoners under a contract with the U.S. Attorney's Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Gennaco said this is the first escape that he knows of from the facility. ``He reported to the court that he wanted to go to this facility,'' Gennaco said. ``Then he just walked away for some reason. I don't think that a person that is this high a risk will be sent to this facility again.'' Antelope Valley Chapter NAACP NAACP in full National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Oldest and largest U.S. civil rights organization. It was founded in 1909 to secure political, educational, social, and economic equality for African Americans; W.E.B. Du Bois and Ida B. President Lynda Thompson Taylor expressed concern about Williams' escape. ``We need to make sure our prisoners stay where they need to stay, and not get out,'' she said. ``Our community is not safe right now.'' Officials said Williams, already indicted INDICTED, practice. When a man is accused by a bill of indictment preferred by a grand jury, he is said to be indicted. on federal hate crime charges, may face additional charges for jumping bail. Williams originally was arrested by sheriff's deputies the day after the July 8 attack, but later released after prosecutors said the victims could not positively identify him. He surrendered to authorities in September after federal indictments were filed against him. At that time, officials said Williams' attacks were part of a campaign to terrorize ter·ror·ize tr.v. ter·ror·ized, ter·ror·iz·ing, ter·ror·iz·es 1. To fill or overpower with terror; terrify. 2. To coerce by intimidation or fear. See Synonyms at frighten. African-Americans in the Antelope Valley. If anyone has information on the whereabouts of Williams, they are asked to call the FBI at (805) 642-3995 or (805) 948-9399. CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: (Ran in SAC and AV) WILLIAMS |
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