San Francisco Man Charged In Robbery-Hate Crime Spree Targeting Asian Women
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- A San Francisco man was charged Tuesday with seven felony counts including hate crime allegations for a string of violent robberies and attempted robberies dating back to March targeting Asian women.
San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin said O'Sean Garcia would be arraigned during a court hearing Tuesday afternoon.
"We do not tolerate hate or violence in San Francisco, and those who commit violence or target our AAPI community members will be held accountable," Boudin said in a news release. "We know the pain that crimes like this can cause to the broader community; these attacks against Asian women occurred during a time when many in the AAPI community across the nation have felt especially vulnerable."
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Garcia has been charged with:
- Robbery on September 21 with a hate crime allegation
- Robbery (Penal Code Section 211) on March 13 with a hate crime allegation
- Attempted robbery on March 13 with a hate crime allegation
- Attempted robbery on March 13 with a hate crime allegation
- Robbery on March 20 with a hate crime allegation
- Attempted robbery on August 5 with a hate crime allegation
- Robbery on August 5 with a hate crime allegation
Boudin said the crimes occurred as seven separate incidents. Each of the victims was an Asian woman, many of whom were monolingual Cantonese-speakers.
On March 13, prosecutors said, Garcia committed three separate robberies.
One victim, a 40-year-old Cantonese-speaking woman, was outside her home around 7:30 p.m. when a suspect grabbed her backpack and pulled her to the ground to take it, while another suspect helped remove it.
Another 18-year-old victim was targeted for an attempted robbery around 8:30 p.m. while she was walking home. A man ran up to her and tried to grab her bag; the victim pepper-sprayed the man in the face, causing him to release the bag and run away.
The third alleged victim, a 29-year-old woman, was the target of an attempted robbery around 9:00 p.m. A suspect demanded she give him her bag and then tried to grab her backpack. The suspect ultimately gave up as she held onto it tightly.
Investigators said that all of the robberies involved a red sedan.
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On March 20, a 52-year-old Asian woman was walking around 5:45 p.m. when two males grabbed her purse as she held on. She was pushed to the ground and dragged before the men got her purse and left in a car.
On August 5, prosecutors said, Garcia committed two robberies occurring just ten minutes apart. In one, a 36-year-old woman was in her driveway when she felt her backpack grabbed as she held on to the straps as she dropped the ground screaming. Her mother came outside and shouted at the two suspects, who left in a car without successfully taking anything.
In the second incident, a 61-year-old woman was returning home when she was approached from behind by a suspect grabbing her bag from her hands.
The most recent incident occurred on September 21 when the 27-year-old woman was robbed of her backpack as she was getting out of her car. The backpack contained multiple items, including her laptop, which allowed the police to track it and helped locate Garcia.
Those who may have witnessed or experienced a hate crime should call the San Francisco District Attorney's Hate Crime hotline at (628) 652-4311.
