Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office will be opening a hate-crime investigation after an Arab Muslim student was injured in a hit-and-run at Stanford University.
The university police reported that the suspect driver was a white man in his mid-20s with short dirty blond hair, a short beard, and round glasses.
Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office Opened a Hate-Crime Investigation
According to Stanford's Department of Public Safety, the victim said that the driver made eye contact and hit him, then drove away and yelled, "you and your people" out the car window.
The victim said that she never imagined becoming the victim of a hate-driven attack. He added that he still hears the driver's hateful screams in his ears. The Department of Public Safety confirmed that the victim's injuries were non-life-threatening.
The California Highway Patrol recognized the incident as a hit-and-run. According to ABC News, the CHP has opened a hate-crime investigation as the incident was determined as a hate-crime.
Furthermore, the university police said that the suspect was driving a black Toyota 4Runner with an exposed tire seated to the rear center and a Toyota logo in the center of the wheel. The car had a white California license plate with the letters M and J.
The university police said they have already tightened the security on campus, and they continue to provide a safe and secure campus environment related to the events in the Israel-Hamas conflict.
The Department of Public Safety encouraged any witnesses to share with law enforcement any available information regarding the incident.
Hate-Crimes at Stanford University
According to CNN, at least five possible hate-crime incidents at Stanford University since the Israel-Hamas conflict were under investigation by the university's public safety department.
Another incident happened recently as a student allegedly spat at a student of color who was seated near a Palestinian liberation display at the Palo Alto campus's White Plaza location.
The school authorities reported that the second student also allegedly said "disgusting" before spitting on the student. The Protected Identity Harm said that spitting on someone was an act motivated by hate.
Stanford University President Richard Saller and Provost Jenny Martinez said in a letter to the community, "We are profoundly disturbed to hear this report of potentially hate-based physical violence on our campus."
Saller said that violence on the campus is unacceptable, and they condemn hate-based violence. He expressed his deep concern for the student who was injured and for all affected by the hate-crime incident.
On Saturday, the Council on American-Islamic Relations San Francisco Bay Area said in a statement that the growing Islamophobia and hatred that have been plaguing their communities need urgent response.
