LOS ANGELES (KNX) – Federal hate crime charges have been filed against the man accused of shooting two Jewish men in West Los Angeles over the course of 24 hours.
Jaime Tran, 28, was charged with committing a hate crime by interference with federally protected activities and use of a firearm in a felony, according to the complaint filed on Friday.
Tran was arrested Thursday evening after police tracked him to an area in Riverside County. During his arrest, detectives obtained several pieces of evidence, including a handgun and a rifle, the Los Angeles Police Department said.
Police said both shootings occurred while the victims were leaving the synagogue. The first one happened Wednesday in the 1400 block of Shenandoah Street just before 10 a.m. The second shooting took place in the 1600 block of S. Bedford Street.
Both victims survived, according to City News Service.
The complaint said Tran had a history of antisemitism and that a recorded interview revealed Tran targeted the victims because of their "head gear." He also said he searched for a "kosher" markets on social media.
Following the shootings, the LAPD said it would increase patrols in the area, while the L.A. County Sheriff’s Office said it would increase patrols around Jewish Synagogues and Jewish Centers.
“I want to be very clear: anti-Semitism and hate crimes have no place in our city or our country,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said in a tweet. “Those who engage in either will be caught and held fully accountable.”
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