SLO police investigating hate crime against interracial couple
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. -- San Luis Obispo police are investigating a hate crime against an interracial couple on Tuesday.
Police detectives are asking the community's help in identifying a suspect involved in an assault in San Luis Obispo on Monday.
The suspect is described as a Caucasian male between the ages of 35 and 45, standing at about 6-feet-tall weighing around 170 to 200 pounds with short dark blonde hair. He was last seen wearing a tan polo shirt, tan shorts and running shoes
On Monday at around 6 p.m., police responded to reports of an assault at the intersection of High and Santa Barbara streets in San Luis Obispo.
At arrival, police officers made contact with two victims, an Asian man and a White woman. They said the suspect, a White man, yelled racial slurs at the Asian man while the couple walked their dog.
The suspect then went up to the woman and assaulted her after she took out her phone to call the police.
Nearby witnesses at Miner's Ace Hardware came out to help the couple.
The male victim attempted to pursue the suspect before the suspect attempted to assault the male victim.
The suspect then fled the scene before police arrived.
San Luis Obispo investigators are conducting an in-depth investigation into the crime.
San Luis Obispo Police Department says they do not tolerate hate of any kind and they are committed to investigating all acts of violence.
"Crimes motivated by hate are not just attacks on innocent people – they are attacks on our entire community," says a department representative.
Anyone with information about this assault is urged to contact San Luis Obispo Police Officer Ponce at 805-781-7142.
If you are experiencing hate, based on disability; religion; gender; sexual orientation; sexual identity; nationality, race or ethnicity you may contact the San Luis Obispo Police Department non-emergency number at 805-781-7312. The Department reviews all calls related to hate crime reporting.
