SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Senate Minority Leader Brian W. Jones (R-San Diego) has released the following statement on the passing of Army veteran Kerry Sheron, a resident of Escondido who died Sunday from injuries sustained in a brutal attack outside his home:
"Last week, a member of our community was brutally attacked outside his home in Escondido. On Sunday, he succumbed to the injuries sustained during that assault, and his life came to a tragic end that has shaken our community and left us trying to make sense of this truly senseless tragedy.
Kerry Sheron was our neighbor. He was a family man who served his country in the U.S. Army, and he was a man of strong belief and conviction. He believed in the First Amendment and its guarantees of free speech. He decorated his home with flags and signs that showed his support for freedom, patriotism, and our president. And for that, he was ruthlessly murdered. This is beyond the pale, and I am beyond saddened that this could occur anywhere, much less right here in our own community.
What happened to Kerry Sheron is unconscionable. It was callous and it was evil. To kill an elderly man over his political beliefs is not only heartbreaking, it is un-American to its core. It is an assault on the values this country was built on, and it does not represent the values of the good people of Escondido.
No American should be killed for the signs in their yard or the flags on their porch. Political violence is cowardice, and it will not be tolerated.
My heart is with Kerry’s wife Maria, and the entire Sheron family during this incredibly difficult time. I pray for them and for peace in our community, and I pray that the perpetrator of this heinous crime is met by our justice system with swift and appropriate punishment.”