Long Beach hate crime: Muslim woman attacked, police say

LONG BEACH, Calif. (KABC) -- Police have released a sketch of a man who they say attacked a Muslim woman in broad daylight, pulling off her head scarf as she was loading groceries into her car.

The incident happened July 2. Police say the suspect also yelled racial slurs about the woman's hijab and Muslims.

"That's what caused all the abrasions, and she wasn't able to scream because she was being choked," said Salam Al-Marayati, president of the Muslim Public Affairs Council.

The suspect ran away. Police are hoping someone recognizes him. He is described as a white male in his 30s, 5 feet 8 inches tall to 5 feet 9 inches tall with a thin build, short brown hair, brown eyes and a trimmed brown mustache and beard. He was wearing a white button down shirt, black pants and possibly black shoes.

"Any crime, but a hate crime in particular is not only a crime against the individual, but against the whole community, so we truly would ask for the public's help in stepping forward on this," said Long Beach police Chief Jim McDonnell.

Al-Marayati said the victim escaped the violence of Iraq to start a peaceful life in America, and cherished the diversity here.

"They decided that they wanted to come to America because of the freedoms, and they would tell their families back in Iraq, you can have Muslim women in headscarves, and orthodox Jewish women in headscarves, and they're walking down the same street," he said.

People who live and work in the community are shocked, including Rivka Levy, a Jewish woman who also covers her hair.

"It makes you lose your sense of freedom to live in a country that is supposed to accept all types of cultures and religion. I have never felt that way living in America at all, so I'm quite surprised at what happened here," she said.

There is one hate crime a day reported in Los Angeles County.

Anyone with information on the suspect or incident is asked to call Crime Stopper at 1-800-222-TIPS.