3 teens charged with hate crimes for Simi Valley parking lot brawl

The Ventura County District Attorney's Office charged five teens, three of whom face hate crime allegations, for a parking lot brawl in Simi Valley.

Prosecutors said the suspects allegedly assaulted three people, with two of the teens facing charges for a previous altercation. All five of the teens will be arraigned on Oct. 10. 

Prosecutors said two of the suspects are 16 years old and three are 17. The District Attorney's Office withheld their names because they are minors. 

"Hate crimes spread fear, division and violence throughout an entire community," District Attorney Erik Nasarenko said. "Our office is committed to holding these youth accountable and ensuring that justice is delivered for the victims and our community."

Investigators from the Simi Valley Police Department said two groups of teens, who had previous altercations in the past, fought outside the Regal Plaza on Aug. 1. Simi Valley police added that several racial slurs were shouted during the brawl. Two of the teens sustained minor injuries, including a possible concussion, chipped tooth, cuts and abrasions.

"When you have stomping, kicking, punching, which is accompanied by hate speech, namely racial slurs, that very well can rise to the level of a hate crime," Nasarenko said. 

The suspects were allegedly targeting 18-year-old Michael Robinson, a young Black man who was grabbing something to eat with his friends. 

"These are the appropriate charges for what I saw when I watched an innocent young African American boy be attacked, unprovoked by complete strangers, strictly on the basis of his race," said Jamal Tooson, the attorney for the Robinson family.

The department also said one of the juveniles believed to be involved is a relative of an SVPD officer. That officer will not be involved in the investigation, the Simi Valley PD said.