Torrance tirade: Detectives interview, but do not arrest, woman seen ranting against Asians in video
Torrance detectives found and interviewed a woman who was seen in viral videos delivering rants against Asian-Americans. She was not arrested because she is accused of only misdemeanor crimes.
TORRANCE, Calif. (KABC) -- Torrance police have located and interviewed a woman who was seen in more than one online viral video delivering anti-Asian rants.
The woman, previously identified as Lena Hernandez, 56, of Long Beach, was seen in two videos using graphic language against local Asian-Americans. A third person reported an encounter in which she was allegedly shoved by Hernandez last year at a mall.
The videos have been viewed millions of times. They triggered an outcry over the racist rants and a pledge by officials to investigate the case.
On Wednesday, Torrance detectives, along with members of the Specialized Crisis Intervention Team, say they found Hernandez at a park in San Pedro. They spoke to her but did not place her under arrest.
"Based on the fact all three incidents are misdemeanor crimes and did not occur in the presence of an officer, Hernandez was not arrested at the time of the interview," police said. "The details of the interview will be submitted to the City of Torrance Prosecutors office."
Anyone with additional information about the cases is asked to call Torrance police at (310)328-3456.
Hernandez was seen in one video launching a tirade against an Asian woman exercising in Wilson Park. She was seen in another video that same day delivering similar language toward an Asian American man who was at the park with his children.
