Berkeley police arrested a suspect for a hate crime earlier this month after reports of an incident on April 8 at around 9:00 p.m.
Suspect Arrested
Officers who answered the reports found the suspect based on descriptions of the victims when they encountered the criminal. One of the victims said he was with a friend walking on Shattuck Avenue near Addison Street. Later, the suspect approached the two victims, said police.
Police said the suspect continued to follow the victims after they told him to stop. As he got closer, he threatened them, exclaiming they were Chinese.
Officers found the suspect quickly after he was recently arrested in the area of Addison Street and Shattuck Avenue on suspicion of throwing a glass bottle at a vehicle passing by. Police identified the suspect as a 29-year-old man that was apparently homeless. They arrested him on suspicion of willfully threatening a person based on their perceived characteristics, Patch reported.
Police are currently investigating the incident as a hate crime. “The Berkeley Police Department recognizes and places a high priority on the rights of all individuals guaranteed under state and federal law. The commission of a hate crime is a serious offense, which will not be tolerated in the City of Berkeley,” said police in a statement.
