Montgomery police: Man charged with hate crime for firing air rifle, yelling slurs

A 36-year-old Montgomery man has been charged with a felony hate crime after he fired an air rifle at his neighbors while yelling racial slurs, police said.

Ryan J. Salsman, of the 1800 block of Mulberry Drive, also is charged with misdemeanor aggravated assault and reckless conduct in connection with the attack about 10 p.m. July 27 outside Salsman's residence, according to Kane County court records and Montgomery police.

Charges against Salsman were approved this week after police presented evidence to the Kane County state's attorney's office.

According to Montgomery police, authorities were called to Mulberry Drive and told by witnesses that Salsman was in his bedroom window shooting an air rifle toward a black man and a Hispanic woman who were talking in their driveway.

According to court records, Salsman is accused of firing five to six shots at the man.

"There were racial slurs being yelled at the victim while (Salsman) was shooting the air rifle," said Montgomery Detective Sgt. Jeff Ricedorf, who noted the investigation is ongoing and police are looking to interview more neighbors.

Neither person was hurt in the attack.

Salsman also is charged with showing the rifle through his window in an effort to alarm the victims, court records show.

Ricedorf said police had not been called to the area for any prior disturbances between Salsman and his neighbor.

Salsman was being held at the Kane County jail on charges he violated his bail bond in a misdemeanor domestic battery case from earlier in July when he was served with the felony hate crime warrant Tuesday.

In the bail bond case, he is accused of contacting the victim in the domestic battery case and not turning over his Firearm Owner's Identification card.

Salsman now is being held on $54,200 bail, meaning he must post $5,420 to be released while the cases are pending.

He is next due in court Friday and faces a sentence ranging from probation to up to three years in prison if convicted of the most severe charge.