Are we allowed to report a crime? Please help!
 

Hi guys...I have an important question about reporting crime to the police. Are we entitiled to do so?

A man in a nearby area was giving out expired food right outside a local grocery store. He was the pastor of the church my grandma goes to (that's why we had met with him) and was supposedly giving those food for "charity", but when I made a mention that those food were not safe to give out, the man got defensive and started talking crap. Things eventually got heated up to the point where the man threatened to shoot me if I didn't walk away. In the end, I just walked away so to not start any trouble because, of course, I'm undocumented.

I want to know what risk is there for me to report this man because apart from the threat...he was giving out expired food to people. Since he was...as he claims...the pastor of a church my grandma goes to, and I have a feeling this wouldn't be the last time I will see him. I'm just a little worried.

Please help.

Re: Are we allowed to report a crime? Please help!
 

Lack of status doesn't preclude one from reporting crimes,it just makes it tricky.Considering the situation,crimestoppers might be your best bet since it can be done anonymously.

Re: Are we allowed to report a crime? Please help!
 

Yes, of course we are... the police isn't going to question your immigration status over something like this. Just because you're undocumented doesn't mean you should be afraid of talking to the police.

Re: Are we allowed to report a crime? Please help!
 

Thanks guys. I was mostly wondering what risk is there if I report the man in person (supposed I had done right there and then...where there were more witnesses). Does anyone...in our situation...know more about this?

Might add...because state law could be a factor...that I live in AZ.

Re: Are we allowed to report a crime? Please help!
 

Well... Living in AZ could be scary. Maybe you can make an anonymous call.

Re: Are we allowed to report a crime? Please help!
 

Block your calls or find a USC to report it. what kind of shady pastor would threaten someone and give bad food.. ugh maybe its better to walk away and let it go

Re: Are we allowed to report a crime? Please help!
 

was the foods itself bad? it could be expired and still be good. might not taste the best, but safe to it.

Re: Are we allowed to report a crime? Please help!
 

He was the pastor and threatened to shoot you? dam crazy SOB. Well he was not committing a crime because he was giving the food away, if he would have been selling it then it would be different. I'm pretty sure the cops wouldn't be interested in him giving the food away that's expired. You can get him in trouble because he threatened to shoot you, its a "terrorist act". I'd say don't even bother if your only gonna report him for giving expired food away, maybe you can report him to your local county health organization.

FYI: Any pastor that threatens to shoot you is not really in peace with God, he is probably just some psycho f*ck.

Re: Are we allowed to report a crime? Please help!
 

WTH? the pastor threatened to shoot you? I cannot stand cowards like that. The biggest hypocrites wear the cloak of the lord and think they are holier than thou.

But because you are in AZ, I would not report it, as luvsherry said, I would find a USC to report it. That is a major flaw in this new law b.s. Immigrants will not want to report a crime.

Re: Are we allowed to report a crime? Please help!
 

I know, right?! I was gonna say something to him about being "ungodly" for a pastor, but I didn't want to make things worse than they already were.

Anyway, I decided to just let it go since aside from the threat nothing else happened until I walked away. He's not making profits out of the food so I guess that unless I personally know someone getting poisoned by them I wouldn't have a good case. The guy is just a nut-job, so if he happens to be around me and threatens me again in the future, then I'll look into reporting him anonymously.

Thanks guys for the reply.