Berkeley Man Faces Hate Crime Charge For Allegedly Threatening Convenience Store Clerk

BERKELEY (BCN) -- A 63-year-old Berkeley man was arrested after he reportedly yelled threats and disparaged the ethnicity of a convenience store clerk one week ago, Berkeley police said in an advisory.

Officers responded to a report of an incident at a convenience store in the 2000 block of San Pablo Avenue at 6:39 p.m. May 19.

The clerk said a man walked in the store and opened up a bag of chips without paying for it. When the clerk asked the suspect to leave the store, the man became aggressive and started yelling threats and statements that are disparaging to people of foreign descent.

Officers found the suspect nearby but he ran into the street on University Avenue. With officers in pursuit, the suspect stumbled and was apprehended.

Police did not release the name of the suspect, who was arrested on suspicion of three offenses, including vandalism, resisting arrest and threatening a person based on their perceived characteristics, considered a hate crime.

Hate Crime