Photo: Alameda County Jail
A California man is facing more charges for allegedly trying to kill his Black neighbor by running him over with his car six times, according to NBC Bay Area.
Surveillance video from December 2021 shows 45-year-old Aqweel Akbar Khan running over Cory Brown, a 45-year-old Black man, at Laguna Commons Apartment in Fremont. Brown's neighbor and friend, who identified herself as Theresa, remembers watching the horrific moment.
“I went down in the parking lot and the man in the white car proceeded to run him over again," she recounted to reporters. "I said, ‘stop, you're going to kill him!’ And that's when he took off out of the parking lot."
Fifteen months after the shocking attack, Khan's now charged with a hate crime, attempted murder, and assault with a deadly weapon.
“We believe, based on the evidence, that Mr. Brown’s assault was also racially motivated and a hate crime under California law, and that it should have been charged as such by my predecessor. She did not do so but we are here to right a great wrong,” Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price said while announcing the new charges on Tuesday, March 7.
Investigators revealed that this wasn't the first time Khan targeted Brown. According to authorities, Khan spray-painted racial slurs on Brown's car, made racist threats, and even attempted to assault his Black neighbor. He also admitted to trying to kill Brown, according to court documents.
“There was clear evidence of racial animus by Mr. Kahn targeted towards Mr. Brown,” Price said. "Hate crimes will not be tolerated in Alameda County."
Brown reportedly suffered physical injuries from the event and remains traumatized. Online jail records show Khan's not in custody as of Thursday morning (March 9). Accoridng to CBS News, he was scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday but it was postponed to amend the charges. He's due back in court on April 14.
Reporters said this is the second time Khan has been charged with assault and committing a hate crime. In August 2021, Khan was suspected of punching a woman of Indian descent into unconsciousness for speaking Hindi at Fremont's Central Park.
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