Suspect indicted on federal hate crime charges in shootings of 2 Jewish men in LA

A federal grand jury indicted the man accused of targeting and shooting two Jewish men at close range on hate crime and weapons charges, prosecutors announced Friday.

Martin Estrada, the U.S. Attorney of the Central District of California, said Jamie Tran, 28 was indicted on two hate crime counts for willfully causing bodily injury and attempting to kill his victims and two counts of discharging a firearm in relation to a crime of violence for the incidents that took place on Feb. 15 and Feb. 16.

The alleged gunman allegedly drove to the Pico-Robertson neighborhood in Los Angeles on both mornings, allegedly identified the victims, who were wearing yarmulkes, and allegedly shot them at close range, according to the indictment. The victim in the Feb. 15 incident was shot in the back after he left religious services at a synagogue, the indictment said.

Both unidentified victims survived the shootings. The alleged gunman was arrested on Feb. 17.

The indictment said the suspect had a history of making antisemitic statements and threats.

In 2018, the suspect left dental school after making hate-filled statements about other students whom he perceived to be Jewish, the indictment said. Between Aug. 2022 and Dec. 2022, the alleged gunman allegedly made and shared several antisemitic messages and threats, according to prosecutors.

One of those threats included phone calls and text messages to a former classmate, the indictment alleges.

In November 2022, the suspect allegedly emailed two dozen former classmates a flyer containing antisemitic propaganda, according to the indictment.

The suspect allegedly "acquired at least two firearms before the attacks and performed internet searches for 'kosher markets' to learn areas where Jewish people congregate," according to the indictment.

The suspect is scheduled to be formally arraigned on March 9. He faces a maximum sentence of life in federal prison if convicted on all of the charges, prosecutors said.