San Antonio police were 'premature' in saying Jonathan Joss' murder wasn't a hate crime, police chief says

San Antonio Police Chief William McManus has retracted earlier statements indicating there was no evidence of Jonathan Joss' death being a hate crime, describing those assertions as "way premature." At a press conference, he apologized to the LGBTQ+ community for causing anxiety with the initial claims. Joss, a well-known actor, had faced threats prior to his death, and his partner revealed they had experienced harassment and reported it to authorities without action. This highlights systemic issues regarding the safety of LGBTQ+ individuals in the community.

We issued a statement the day after Jonathan Joss' murder that was way, way, way premature. Shouldn't have done it. It was way too soon before we had any real information, and I will own that and simply say we shouldn't have done that.

We understand that many in the LBGTQ+ community are feeling anxious and concerned. A lot of that has to do with that premature statement that we released, and again, I own that.

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