A Goshen, Calif., man is fighting for his life in a Fresno, Calif., hospital after being beaten and stabbed multiple times solely because of his race, authorities say.
According to the Visalia Times-Delta, the 60-year-old man, who is black, is expected to recover from his injuries, but his attack has left many residents in Goshen shocked.
One resident said that on Sunday afternoon, a group of men yelled slurs at the older man, who tried to get away from his attackers. When paramedics and sheriff’s deputies arrived at the scene, they found the 60-year-old, who was not identified, suffering from multiple stab wounds.
Violent-crimes detectives immediately shut down roads and began interviewing neighbors, ultimately arresting 25-year-old Hadden Kennedy and 39-year-old Jodan Peck, who live about a block away from the victim, according to neighbors.
Tulare County Sheriff’s Lt. Duane Cornett said that the case has been submitted to the district attorney’s office as a hate crime.
“Our investigation showed that during the attack, racial slurs were used,” Cornett said.
Neighbors told authorities that the victim had been being harassed by his alleged attackers over the past few days when things escalated Sunday.
“It’s a very sad situation,” Gina Torrez, a Goshen resident, told the Times-Delta. “Seems like a racially motivated hate crime; so upsetting that these issues are still present.”
Residents said they were speaking out about what happened, despite fear of retaliation, to make sure people know that racism will not be a part of their county.
Both Peck and Kennedy were booked into the Tulare County Pretrial Facility on suspicion of attempted murder. On Tuesday, the district attorney’s office added hate crime charges, the Fresno Bee notes.
Read more at the Visalia Times-Delta and the Fresno Bee.