Friends targeted in racist rant at San Ramon In-N-Out overwhelmed by public support
SAN RAMON -- Two friends who were the targets of a racist, homophobic rant at San Ramon In-N-Out they captured on cell phone video were overwhelmed Monday night by the widespread support they have received and the quick arrest of the alleged suspect in the case.
San Ramon Police Chief Denton Carlson said the suspect -- 40-year-old Jordan Douglas Krah of Denver, Colorado -- has been arrested on suspicion of committing a hate crime. He was booked into the Contra Costa County Jail in Martinez.
Arine Kim and Elliot Ha told KPIX that they were at the restaurant and trying some items off the secret menu when the man approached them and started making the comments.
They posted the encounter on TikTok where it went viral and caught the attention of San Ramon police.
"Honestly, I'm very overwhelmed by the support," said Kim, who is from Moraga. "A lot of people are commenting originally like, 'Why didn't you call the police?'"
"In that moment, and I think for us, especially for a lot of people of color, a lot of Asian Americans that go through hate crimes, like I've been verbally assaulted on more than one occasion, not to the degree that that man went to, but most of the time you don't think that someone will ever take you seriously."
"I was talking to the police earlier today," Ha continued. "One thing that they mentioned that kind of stuck with me is nothing is too small to be reported, because they would rather be glad to get the call and figure out that it really is nothing, rather than have it actually be something."
Kim said someone recognized the suspect at a San Ramon Target and called police, who arrested him shortly after on Monday.
"I know it's mildly unreasonable to ask everyone to just be happy and positive people, because that's not the world that we live in, but for him, I do hope that he finds the help that he does need, and I hope he can find it in his heart to be able to make more positive changes within himself," added Kim.
Before his arrest, police said they received complaints about similar behavior from what appears to be the same man.
Kim said she was contacted by another victim who had a run-in with the suspect on Christmas day.
"She had taken a photo of him and a video of him and I was like 'Oh yeah, that's the same guy,'" Kim said. "She's Filipino, her family's Filipino. He was hurling racist insults at her and her family. He began spitting at them as well in his car."
Kim added that she was careful not to respond to the man in an aggressive way.
"When he was outside in the parking lot, I wasn't sure if he was going to his car to get a weapon, or get a gun, or get a knife," Kim said. "In the world that we live in, or the country that we live in, that is something that sadly we have to be concerned about."
Kim and Ha said they are so grateful for the outpouring of support on social media and in-person, since their viral encounter. While they were in line at In-N-Out Monday, another customer surprised them by paying for their meals.