An Ontario man was arrested earlier this week for an alleged hate crime attack that was captured on surveillance video.
On Dec. 23, 2022, police responded to reports of an assault at a basketball court in Azusa’s Memorial Park.
The suspect, Sebastian Espinosa, 27, had fled the scene before officers arrived.
“Through the investigation, it was learned that the suspect attacked an Asian male who was playing in the game, seemingly unprovoked,” said Azusa Police.
As the victim was on the ground, Espinosa continually punched the victim in the head and face. The victim was “putting up no self-defense,” at the time, according to arrest documents.
As bystanders pulled Espinosa away, he “delivered a final attack by kicking the victim’s head and face before yelling a racially derogatory slur at the victim.”
The assault was captured on a courtside surveillance camera, police said. The video has not been released.
On June 15, Espinosa was located in Ontario and taken into custody. He was arrested on charges of assault with a deadly weapon and a civil rights hate crime and is being held on $30,000 bail.
“The California Penal Code defines hands and feet as deadly weapons when they are used to commit an assault where great bodily injury occurred or is likely to occur,” authorities said.
Anyone with additional information about the incident is asked to contact the Azusa Police Department at 626-812-3200. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at lacrimestoppers.org.
