The Greater Los Angeles Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-LA) today welcomed the recent sentencing of a Ventura County man to five years in state prison for targeting an African American man in a racially-motivated hate crime attack.
SEE: Ventura County man sentenced to prison for beating man with baseball bat in hate crime attack
In December 2024, Javier Gomez, along with an unidentified juvenile, approached the victim as he walked to his car. According to the Ventura County District Attorney (DA), the pair yelled racial slurs at the man before cornering him and striking him in the head with a baseball bat. The man reportedly suffered cognitive and vision issues for several months following the attack.
Earlier this year, Gomez pled guilty to felony assault with a deadly weapon and admitted to five special allegations, including hate crime allegations. He was sentenced by the DA’s office on May 26.
In a statement, CAIR-LA Executive Director Hussam Ayloush said:
“We commend the Ventura County DA’s Office for taking this hate-fueled attack seriously and holding Mr. Gomez accountable for his disturbing actions. There is a long and shameful pattern in this country of racial violence that continues to threaten the safety and well-being of Black communities. It is critical that we not only condemn hate and bigotry in all its forms but actively seek consequences for those who use it to perpetrate targeted violence against others.”
To report any bias incidents, contact CAIR-LA’s Civil Rights Department at (714) 776-1177 (ext. 2) or click here to file a report.
CAIR-LA is Southern California’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice and empower American Muslims.
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CONTACT: CAIR-LA Communications Manager Enjy El-Kadi, (714) 851-4851 or eelkadi@cair.com; CAIR-LA Senior Communications Coordinator Madi Hameed, mmorse-hameed@cair.com