Full Notification

On the evening of April 8^th, a man reported that earlier (around 9 pm) he was walking on Shattuck Avenue (near Addison Street) with a friend when they were approached by a suspect.  When the suspect got close to the man, the man told the suspect to stay away and continued walking.  The suspect then started following the man and his friend—threatening to hurt them and exclaiming that they were of Chinese descent.  The man and his friend were able to walk into a nearby business for safety and the suspect eventually left the area.
 
Based on the description of the suspect, officers were able to quickly identify the suspect—as they had recently arrested him in the area of Addison Street and Shattuck Avenue for throwing a glass bottle at a passing vehicle.
 
Based on the above information, officers arrested the suspect (a 29-year-old man, no address) on suspicion of PC 422.6(a)—willfully threatening a person based on their perceived characteristics.
 
A hate crime is a crime against a person, group, or property motivated by the victim’s real or perceiving protected social group (see Information Bulletin on Hate Crime Laws).
 
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.
 
For more information about Hate Crimes and reporting, visit the CA Attorney General’s website resources.
 
Case 2021-00015525