Man charged with threatening couple during dog attack in Santa Monica
Los Angeles County prosecutors on Thursday charged a man accused of threatening a couple and unleashing his dog on them along Santa Monica's Third Street Promenade earlier this week.
Nay Min Tar, 49, faces one felony count of criminal threats and one count of misdemeanor battery, according to the LA County District Attorney's Office. The Santa Monica Police Department originally identified the suspect as Tar Nay.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges. Prosecutors asked for his bail to be set at $50,000, but the court reduced it to $2,500, according to the DA's Office.
"Our communities should be safe places for everyone to live, work and enjoy without fear," District Attorney Nathan Hochman said. "Anyone making threats of violence should face swift and appropriate punishment, as this behavior often leads to further escalation."
The Santa Monica police said Tar allegedly started threatening the couple while they tried to cross the street near the intersection of 3rd Street and Broadway. In a video of the encounter, Tar can be heard screaming profanities while holding a baseball bat outside the window before getting out of the car and approaching the couple.
"Hate has no place in Santa Monica," Chief Darrick Jacob said. "We understand the fear and harm these incidents can create, not only for the victims, but for the broader community. Our responsibility is to respond quickly, document the facts thoroughly, and pursue accountability through the legal process."
The couple, who asked CBS News Los Angeles to remain anonymous, said they are Jewish. They said they were trying to write down Tar's license plate as he approached them. The video shows Tar briefly returning to his car before charging at them with his dog. The dog, a male cane corso, bit one of the victims on the thigh, according to the Santa Monica Police Department.
"This guy, he was using antisemitic slogans and rhetoric," said Benjamin Basire, a friend of the couple. "He was using those words to justify his action against them."
Officers arrested Tar a short distance away from the scene on Fourth Street. Santa Monica Animal Control officers took custody of the dog, which was taken to a local shelter and remains in quarantine.
The Santa Monica Police Department said they are aware of concerns about whether the attack "involved hate motivated conduct."
"The fact that the filed charges do not include a hate crime enhancement does not mean the reported language or conduct was acceptable, nor does it diminish the impact on the victims or the broader community," the department wrote in a statement. "Criminal threats remain a serious charge and reflect the threatening conduct reported during the incident."
