Suspects accused of hate crimes in south Sacramento robberies that targeted Asian women
Prosecutors have added hate crime enhancements to criminal charges against two suspects accused of targeting Asian women in robberies as the victims left south Sacramento shopping centers.
Patrol officers in April and May responded to a series of robberies along the Stockton Boulevard corridor, the Sacramento Police Department announced Wednesday in a news release. Investigators believed the suspects were targeting Asian women leaving shopping centers.
Police said the suspects assaulted the women, causing injury and stealing thousands of dollars in cash, jewelry and other belongings. In at least one of the robberies, the victim told police the suspect had a handgun.
Detectives from the Police Department’s Neighborhood Crimes Unit in south Sacramento investigated the robberies and quickly identified the suspects’ vehicle, police said.
Another law enforcement agency helped the Police Department find the suspect vehicle. Detectives searched the vehicle and found evidence linked to the robberies.
The detectives later identified Latravion McCockran, 20, and a 17-year-old boy as the suspects in the robberies, according to the news release. Detectives served search warrants and recovered additional evidence.
The 17-year-old suspect was arrested June 15 in Berkeley. During that arrest, two others with the robbery suspect were illegally in possession of handguns and arrested.
Detectives arrested McCockran in Sacramento on June 22. Both suspects have remained in custody since their arrests. Police said the detectives continued their investigation and located additional evidence indicating the victims were targeted due to their race.
On Monday, the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office added a hate crime enhancement to the robbery charges filed against both suspects, according to police.
This isn’t the first time women have been targeted in robberies in that area. A six-month investigation ended in early March with the arrest of a man suspected of targeting women in strong-arm robberies last year along Stockton Boulevard.
