Turlock police: Juvenile stabs homeless man, faces charges of hate crime, attempted murder
A juvenile male was arrested Tuesday on attempted murder and hate crime charges after stabbing a homeless man in a Turlock park, police said. The suspect reportedly confronted the man because of his ethnicity.
Turlock police officers responded to reports around 3 p.m. of an aggravated assault occurring at Columbia Park, according to a news release. They arrived in the area to find a homeless man suffering stab wounds and a man and juvenile still fighting in the park.
The man stabbed was treated on scene for injuries that were not considered life-threatening. Both males who were fighting were detained during an initial investigation, police said.
The investigation determined that the juvenile approached the homeless man and told him to leave the park, based on his ethnicity, police said. As the man tried to run away, the juvenile “obtained” a knife and stabbed him.
The other man told police he tried to intervene before police arrived and was fighting the juvenile to help the victim escape. He was released and declined to provide a statement, police said.
Police recovered the knife believed to have been used in the attack.
The juvenile was treated for injuries at a hospital before being booked at Stanislaus County Juvenile Hall on a preliminary charge of attempted homicide. Additional hate crime charges were added after further review of the case.
The Turlock Police Department did not release the name or age of the juvenile suspect.
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information should call Officer Colton Bickle at 209-668-5550, ext. 6311, or the Police Department’s tip line at 209-668-5550, ext. 6780, or email at tpdtipline@turlock.ca.us.
This story was originally published November 24, 2021 at 12:46 PM.
