2 charged with hate crime for targeting Asians in Seattle burglaries
By Carl Samson
Two men accused in a string of armed robberies that targeted Asian-owned homes in Washington state’s King County in 2023 are now facing burglary, assault and hate crime charges.
Catch up: Demarcus Pate, 28, and Javez Tubbs, 32, were first arrested on Sept. 27, 2023, along with two other men and a 16-year-old boy for their alleged involvement in at least 14 such robberies. The juvenile was subsequently hit with burglary, robbery and other charges, while the four adults were charged with unlawful possession of a firearm. All five suspects pleaded not guilty to their respective charges.
About the robberies: The home invasions reportedly took place in south Seattle between June and September of last year. Most of the victims were elderly Asian Americans.
New charges: A newly released court document now accuses Pate of three, and Tubbs of two, Asian home invasions in Seattle and Renton on June 25, 2023, all committed in less than two hours. The suspects, who pretended to be Seattle police in two of those cases, were charged with first-degree burglary, third-degree assault and a hate crime.
A community in fear: One victim was allegedly pistol-whipped because of his race. In charging documents, Senior Deputy Prosecutor Ian Michels-Slettvet said the attacks have caused trauma to the Asian community.
“The armed intruders took more than $20,000, handbags and watches from the three burglary scenes,” Michels-Slettvet wrote, as per the Seattle Times. “The June 25 burglaries happened within the context of a pattern of home invasions across the Puget Sound that targeted Asian households, causing significant trauma and fear for Asian community members.”
What’s next: Pate and Tubbs will return to court on March 7 for their arraignment. In the meantime, they remain locked up along with the other adult suspects in King County Jail on a $1.5 million bail each, MyNorthwest reported.
Investigation into the cases continue. Additional suspects could be charged.
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