A Texas man pleaded guilty to attacking an Asian family who he thought was responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Justice said.
On March 14, 2020, Gomez entered a Midland Sam’s Club Warehouse behind an Asian man with his young children and followed them around the store for several minutes because he believed they were a “threat,” the DOJ said.He stopped following the family briefly to ask a store employee where the utensils were located and went to grab a serrated steak knife, according to a federal complaint.
Gomez bent the blade so that it rested against his knuckles with the sharp edge facing out, officials said. He went to find the family again and punched the father in the face before cutting him with the knife. Gomez ran back to the utensil aisle, selected an 8-inch knife and returned to attack the two children sitting in the shopping cart. He slashed open the 6-year-old child’s face, barely missing his right eye, the DOJ said.The other child, 2, was uninjured.Gomez was eventually disarmed and held on the ground until police arrived. Witnesses said Gomez yelled at the family “Get out of America.”
When questioned by police, Gomez said he was trying to kill the father and his children “to stop the threat” of those who “started spreading the disease around,” the complaint said. “Racially motivated hate crimes targeting the Asian American community are on the rise and have no place in our society today,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “All people deserve to feel safe and secure living in their communities, regardless of race, color or national origin.”
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