Full Notification

On Friday, September 25, 2020, at approximately 2:23 a.m., the Turlock Fire Department responded to the 1000 block of N. Olive Ave. for a possible structure fire. Fire crews arrived on scene and discovered a portion of the fence and a tree were on fire in the alley at the 1000 block of Kenwood Ave. The fence was located on west side of the alley, which is within the jurisdiction of Stanislaus County. The fire was extinguished and fire crews cleared the scene. According to a representative with the Turlock Fire Department, the fire began as a debris fire in the alley which spread to the fence and trees.

The Turlock Police Department later learned that graffiti was located on a separate fence, which was located directly across the alley from where the fire occurred. The graffiti occurred on the east side of the alley, within the jurisdiction of the City of Turlock. A racial slur was spray painted on the fence, which has been investigated and determined to be a hate crime. The graffiti reportedly showed up on the fence within the last week.

The police investigation also revealed that the Turlock Fire Department had responded to a previous fire which was located within a close proximity of the 1000 block of Kenwood Ave. The previous fire was located in the 1000 block of Mitchell Ave. and it occurred earlier that morning at approximately 12:44 a.m. The Turlock Fire Department classified this fire as suspicious. The cause of both fires is still under investigation. It has not been determined if the fire and the graffiti are in fact related. There were no injuries reported in either of the two fires.

This is an on-going investigation and Officers are working to identify all of the parties involved in this incident.

The Turlock Police Department asks that anyone with information call Officer Martin Marquez at (209) 668-5550 extension 6761. You can also contact the Turlock Police Department’s Tip Line at (209) 668-5550 extension 6780 or email at [email protected].

The Turlock Police Department is an active participant in the Crime Stoppers Program. Callers can leave an anonymous tip by calling Crime Stoppers at (209) 521-4636 and may be eligible for a cash reward.

To receive more detailed, up-to-date information directly from the Turlock Police Department via e-mail or text message, register for "Nixle" alerts at www.Nixle.com or more directly at https://local.nixle.com/register/. Or, text your zip code to 888777 to receive text alerts only.

For additional information, follow our social media pages on Facebook and Twitter.

###

This information is being released by Turlock Police Department Sergeant Michael Parmley.

Any media requests should contact:
Sergeant Michael Parmley
Office of Professional Standards
Turlock Police Department
Office phone - (209) 664-7345
Email – [email protected]