There’s been an arrest in the beating of an elderly Sikh man in Fresno. FM89’s Ezra David Romero reports on the case which is being called a hate crime.
With help from the FBI and home surveillance footage, Fresno Police arrested 22-year-old Daniel Wilson Jr. and a 17-year-old Tuesday in a hit-and-run case from December. Police Chief Jerry Dyer says the two first beat 68-year-old Amrik Singh Bal and then later ran him over with a car in Northwest Fresno.
DYER: “Mr. Singh was left in the middle of the street for six minutes motionless on this video. There is absolutely no doubt in our mind that both the driver of this vehicle and the passenger in this vehicle knew what they had done.”
Dyer says investigators recommend the two suspects be charged with assault with a deadly weapon, conspiracy and elder abuse with a hate crime enhancement. Fresno District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp says the men attacked Singh while he was wearing traditional Sikh clothing including a turban.
SMITTCAMP: “This type of behavior is not going to be tolerated in Fresno and most certainly not against people in our community who have reached the age of Mr. Singh.”
Singh has recovered from his injuries. Smittcamp says she isn’t sure yet if the teenager will be tried as an adult.
