A man accused of shooting two Jewish men in Los Angeles in February has pleaded not guilty to four federal charges against him. Jaime Tran, 28, was indicted by a federal grand jury on two hate crime counts and two counts of discharging a firearm in relation to a crime of violence. His trial is scheduled for April 11.
Tran is accused of targeting and shooting two Jewish men as they were leaving religious services at separate synagogues in a predominantly Jewish neighborhood. Both victims were hospitalized after the shootings.
According to federal prosecutors, Tran had a history of making antisemitic statements that escalated in violence. He allegedly sent hateful messages to a former classmate, including threats of harm. Prosecutors are seeking forfeiture of Tran's firearms if he is convicted.
If convicted, Tran could face a maximum sentence of life in federal prison for each hate crime count. A firearms conviction would carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years with a possible maximum of life in prison.
Tran was arrested in Riverside County, east of Los Angeles, where he previously resided. Police found evidence, including firearms, during the arrest. The victims, who were visibly identifiable as Jewish, were not named in the indictment.
The shootings occurred amid a rise in antisemitic violence nationwide, with antisemitic attacks reaching a record high in the US in 2021, according to the Anti-Defamation League.
