Rowland Heights Hate Crime Suspects Nabbed in Diamond Bar

Three Diamond Bar men have been arrested in connection with an alleged hate crime, robbery, and assault with a deadly weapon after a Feb. 6 attack in Rowland Heights left a Chinese-American man hospitalized and badly injured, according to an L.A. County Sheriff's report.

Sheriff's arrested Jachin Yi, 18, and Peter Kim, 19 — both of Diamond Bar — shortly after the incident and two more men were detained Tuesday.

On Tuesday, Sheriff's issued arrest and search warrants for Hwan Joon Huh, 29, of Diamond Bar, and Jae Du, 25, of West Covina in connection with the Feb. 6 crime.

Officers are still in pursuit of two other suspects believed to be involved in the crime.

According to a Sheriff's report, all of the suspects arrested are members or associates of a Korean-American street gang.

The assault that occurred on Feb. 6 at around 3:20 a.m., according to a Sheriff's report, left a 25-year-old Chinese-American man with a number of cuts and bruises — one cut on the victim's head required medical staples.

The victim reportedly entered a restaurant in the 18300 block of Colima Road in Rowland Heights and placed a takeout order.

As the victim was waiting for his order, Sheriff's reported, one suspect approached the victim and asked him if he was Korean.

The victim responded that he is Chinese.

As the victim left the restaurant, the same suspect followed him outside and was trailed by five other male Korean-Americans who, according to Sheriff's reports, began beating the victim with their hands and feet.

Sheriff's reported that the suspects stopped beating the victim when bystanders intervened, at which point the suspects vandalized the victim's car and stole his wallet and a GPS system.

Walnut Sheriff's deputies were able to locate Yi and Kim after an eyewitness provided a license plate number of a car registered to Yi and after an ATM card belonging to Kim was found at the scene. 

Investigators from the Sheriff's Asian Gang Team, Operation Safe Streets Bureau continued the investigation that included the review of surveillance footage recorded at the restaurant.

Both Huh and Du were arrested at their homes on Tuesday.

Suspects Yi and Kim have been formally charged with an alleged hate crime, robbery, and assault with a deadly weapon and Huh and Du are currently being held on the same charges at the Walnut Sheriff's Station.

Yi and Kim have been released on $80,000 and $50,000 bail, respectively.

Anyone with additional information on the case was asked to call Sgt. Steve Kim of the L.A. County Sheriff's Asian Gang Team at (310) 603-3100.