Police: Man yelled racial slurs before machete attack in Northern California

This story was originally published by AP News

CLEARLAKE, Calif. (AP) — A white man in California was charged Tuesday with a hate crime for stabbing a black man with a machete after yelling racial slurs, the district attorney’s office said.

Police in Clearlake, about 80 miles (128 kilometers) north of San Francisco, went to an apartment complex Saturday night after people reported someone yelling racial slurs in the parking lot and later attacking the victim. The victim, whose name and age were not released, was cut in the shoulder and was seriously injured, police said.

After the attack, Anthony Hammond, 34, went back into his apartment and an hourslong standoff, with Hammond hiding in his refrigerator at one point, began, police said.

He eventually came out and was arrested. Police later found the machete in his apartment.

While being taken to the Lake County jail, Hammond threatened to kill the transporting officer and his family upon his release, police said in a statement.

In addition to the hate crime, Hammond is charged with aggravated mayhem, battery and assault. He is being held in the Lake County jail on more than $1 million bail.

Edward Savin, a contract public defender in Lake County, said he hadn’t seen the case Tuesday and couldn’t comment.

Hammond is due in court Wednesday for arraignment, Chief Deputy District Attorney Rich Hinchcliff said.