2 suspects charged with hate crime in attack on Bay Area Sikh man
RICHMOND (KTVU) -- Contra Costa prosecutors said Friday that they have filed hate crime charges against two men accused of an attack on a Bay Area Sikh man last month.
Chase Little, 31, of Beaumont, Texas, and Dustin Albarado, 35, of Louisiana, were previously arrested and charged with felony assault charges in the attack on Maan Singh Khalsa, 41. The Contra Costa district attorney's office announced that Little and a previously unidentified suspect, Colton Leblanc, will now face hate crime charges in connection with the attack.
Investigators have said the suspects removed the turban of the victim and cut off a fistful of his hair. Khalsa's religion mandates that he not cut his hair.
Khalsa, a Richmond father, is waiting to hear if his finger will need to be amputated because of an infection to a cut he received while fighting off his attackers.
About 30 faith-based and advocacy groups sent a letter to the District Attorney's office Thursday calling for hate crime charges in the attack.
The victim called 911 after the attack. Photos showed him with a patch over one eye that is seen in another photo swollen shut. A third photo shows a blackened finger with stitches.
Khalsa is a member of the Sikh Center in El Sobrante and a U.S. citizen who works for the Social Security Agency.
RELATED COVERAGE