Berkeley Anti-Asian Hate Crime Suspect Arrested

BERKELEY, CA — A Berkeley hate crime suspect was arrested earlier this month, police said.

Officers responding to a report of the incident on April 8 at around 9 p.m. located the suspect based on a description provided by one of the victims, police said.

One of the victims told authorities he was walking with his friend on Shattuck Avenue near Addison Street when the suspect approached them, police said.

As the suspect got closer to them the man told the suspect to stay away, but the suspect continued following them and then threatened to hurt them, exclaiming that that they were of Chinese descent, police said.

The man and his friend went to a nearby business for safety and the suspect eventually left the area.

Officers quickly located the suspect, who had recently been arrested in the area of Addison Street and Shattuck Avenue on suspicion of throwing a glass bottle at a passing vehicle.

The suspect, identified as a 29-year-old man with no known address, was arrested on suspicion of willfully threatening a person based on their perceived characteristics, police said.

Police said they are investigating the case as a hate crime.

Hate crimes are classified as crimes against a person, group, or property motivated by the victim’s real or perceiving protected social group.

“The Berkeley Police Department recognizes and places a high priority on the rights of all individuals guaranteed under state and federal law,” police said in a statement.

“The commission of a hate crime is a serious offense, which will not be tolerated in the City of Berkeley.”