Man charged with hate crime for verbally attacking customer at Fremont restaurant
FREMONT – The Alameda County District Attorney's Office has filed hate crime charges against a man caught on camera directing religious slurs and derogatory comments at another man outside a Fremont fast-food restaurant earlier this month.
Police made no arrests at the time of the incident in the 40000 block of Grimmer Boulevard on Aug. 21, as officers could not establish that a hate crime had occurred, according to an announcement from police issued Monday night.
In their ensuing investigation, police obtained phone camera footage captured by the victim that showed the suspect using extremely offensive and hurtful language toward him. Video of the incident has also been circulating on social media.
Police forwarded their investigation to the district attorney, who charged the suspect—Singh Tejinder—on suspicion of multiple offenses, including a hate crime in violation of civil rights, assault and disturbing the peace by offensive language. Tejinder, who is not in custody, is currently on probation in a separate case.
Police urge the community to be respectful to each other and to immediately report any circumstances such as this that upon investigation may rise to the level of a crime. They also urged anyone who has information regarding this case to please contact Sgt. Kim Macdonald at FremontPDPIO@fremont.gov or at (510) 790-6802.
