Police Investigating Bigoted Post Threatening West Sacramento Mayor

WEST SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - Free speech or hate speech? Police are looking into a possible crime after a public post threatened the mayor of West Sacramento.

"Folks need to know this is going on and there are people like this out there," West Sacramento Mayor Christopher Cabaldon said.

He isn't running scared; he's firing back with some choice words of his own.

"It's tragic that we're at this point in our society, and there are still folks out there like this," Cabaldon said.

It's a rambling Facebook attack on the openly gay mayor, filled with a misspelled gay slur, and a threat.

"That was clearly disturbing," he said.

The post reads in part: "Can't believe this little mobbed up (expletive) has been selling our ground water down south…we will see what happens next town hall meeting when my father and I confront you little (expletive)."

"The whole post was full of hatred. So it wasn't just an idol, 'so I might get this guy if I see him,' " said Cabaldon.

The mayor immediately re-tweeted the post with a sharp critique: "When writing to me please spell (expletive) correctly and (to be fair) only threaten me with one-on-one physical assault."

Cabaldon says he knows the man who sent it.

"I know that he lives here and his dad lives here, just like he says. His dad used to be a firefighter in our department," he said.

The post is from a Joseph Meier. CBS13 went to a West Sacramento address connected to the name, but no one answered.

The West Sacramento police are investigating the threats to determine whether or not they're criminal.

Cabaldon also sees this as an opportunity to educate.

"What it is is a clarion call in our community. It is a real danger. Laws about hate crime and laws about teaching diversity really do make a difference," he said.