Agoura Hills home displaying Palestinian flag attacked in hate crime, authorities say
Authorities are searching for the man who allegedly damaged the door of an Agoura Hills home displaying a Palestinian flag, according to investigators who are describing the attack as a hate crime.
The incident took place at the 30400 block of Passageway Place around 2 p.m. on Sept. 28, 2024, but the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department posted a social media post Tuesday, asking for the public's help in identifying the suspect who was videotaped by a doorbell camera.
LASD acting Capt. Dustin Carr said the investigation has been ongoing since the incident took place, and turned to the public's help this week after investigators were unable to identify the suspect.
Detectives said the suspect approached the home and aggressively began pounding and kicking the door, spewing racist remarks and verbal threats in reference to a Palestinian flag displayed on an upstairs window.
The resident's door sustained damages, the LASD said in the X post Tuesday. Carr said the door sustained multiple scratches and foot marks. Investigators do not believe the suspect lives in the area. The department confirmed the residents inside the home are not of Palestinian nationality.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a Muslim advocacy group known as CAIR-LA, commended the LASD for investigating the incident as a hate crime.
'No one should face harassment or threats simply for displaying a flag that represents their identity or their call for justice. This alarming act is part of the broader rise in anti-Palestinian hate and Islamophobia,' CAIR-LA Executive Director Hussam Ayloush said in a statement Wednesday. 'We must remain vigilant in opposing all forms of hate and ensure our communities can safely express their identities and stand up for justice and human rights.'
The incident comes months after a violent clash between pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian students camping on UCLA's campus in May 2024.
The suspect, who remains unidentified, was wearing glasses and a white shirt with black pants. He is believed to be about 30 years old.
Anyone with information on the suspect is asked to contact Det. Aquino at the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff's Station at (818) 878-1808.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
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