It’s become the American way. Hate crimes are poignantly more and more the norm in this country, especially with the the kind of odious rhetoric that spews from the mouths of Republican candidates like Donald Trump and Ted Cruz. It’s heard, it sinks in, it’s repeated, and then it’s acted out. No longer is it a surprise to hear of violence erupting at Donald Trump rallies. Sometimes it’s due to retaliation against unwelcome protestors. Sometimes, it’s due to the color of one’s skin, presumed religion—or perhaps just because they don’t look American enough. And it’s coming to a neighborhood near you.

Less than two weeks ago, Dan J. Popp, a Milwaukee man, shot and murdered three defenseless people with his rifle. According to a witness who barely escaped alive, Popp killed them because they didn’t speak English. This was a heinous and horrible crime—and incredibly sad. TrueActivist.com reports:

It was Sunday afternoon and Jesus Manso-Perez, 40, and his 18-year-old son, Jesus Manso-Carrasquillo, had left the apartment to do laundry. They ran into Popp on their way to the basement in their apartment complex, who Manso-Carrasquillo said offered them a beer. When they declined, Popp asked where they were from and they replied that they were from Puerto Rico, to which Popp reportedly replied, “Oh, that’s why you don’t speak English. You’re Puerto Rican.” After they parted ways, the father and son started a load of laundry and made their way back to their apartment. It was then that they met Popp at the stairs, he pointed a rifle at them, said “You guys got to go” and shot the father in the head. The son managed to run away and just barely missed the shots that Popp fired at him.

Popp then went to the Vue family’s home at a nearby apartment unit and kicked the door down.

Dan J. Popps The family had heard the first shots, presumably those fired at Manso-Perez and Manso-Carrasquillo, and huddled together in the bedroom. Popp knocked at first but when no one answered he kicked the door in and forced his way into the bedroom. He pointed the rifle at Phia Vue, a 36-year-old father of the four children he huddled around, and told Phia to leave with him. The two left the room and the family heard shots. Phia was later found dead in the bathroom by police. Popp made his way back to the room and demanded that everyone leave with him and even began dragging Mai Vue, a 32-year-old mother of the four children, and two of her children out of the apartment. The other two children and an adult relative that was with them at the time all ran out and had called police, eventually directing authorities to Popp. Mai Vue was found shot to death in Popp’s apartment.

When the police arrived, Popps came out of his apartment with a rifle around his shoulder. He was ordered to the ground, arrested, and charged with three counts of first-degree intentional homicide and one count of attempted first-degree homicide in the case of the 18-year-old son. I can’t help but wonder would he have made it to the ground if he were African American or Latino. And if this story isn’t sickening enough, Popps was given a mere $150,000 bail for the alleged murder of three human beings.

Questions have arisen about Popp’s mental health. I’d like to know where he got his gun. Was he licensed to use it? Where did he get his hate? And how many more people are going to die in gun-related deaths before gun sense laws are enacted?

Families and friends gathered for a memorial this past Sunday to honor and remember their loved ones who were killed. Acuesta reports that given the diversity of the families affected, prayers were recited in three different languages: English, Hmong, and Spanish.

Via