Reward in Madison hate crime investigation doubled to $10,000

- A nonprofit has doubled the reward, to $10,000, for information leading to an arrest in a Madison hate crime from last week.

The Madison Police Department announced the increased reward in an updated incident report Tuesday.

The Center for Combating Antisemitism, a division of the international nonprofit StandWithUs, in partnership with the Mizel Family Foundation has offered $5,000 for information leading to an arrest or conviction, according to police.

The money is in addition to a $5,000 reward from Madison Area Crime Stoppers, bringing the total to $10,000.

Those wishing to submit a tip can do so to Madison Area Crime Stoppers at (608) 266-6014 or by computer via P3Tips.com.

While waiting for a green light at the intersection of Gorham and State Street around 1 a.m. on June 24, Althea Bernstein says four white men called her a racial slur, before attacking her, and setting her on fire with lighter fluid. Bernstein is bi-racial.

Director of the StandWithUs Center for Combating Antisemitism Carly Gammill says the motivation for the crime could involve several aspects.

"None of us can know at this point what was in those individuals, what they knew or didn't know," Gammill says. "But it doesn't change the fact that she is in fact Jewish."


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