What the hell. In Irvine, California, a 24-year-old man was arrested last week for committing a hate crime after assaulting an African American man and using racial slurs against his teenage brother.
Man with Metal Pipe Arrested for Hate Crime in front of Irvine High School: Cops
On Wednesday, the 16-year-old Irvine High School student was waiting for his brother to pick him up after sports practice. As the teen's 24-year-old brother drove up the school, the student was approached by Christopher Qu, who was carrying a metal pipe.
According to Irvine police, Qu -- who neither of the brothers knew -- began saying racial slurs and aggressively walking toward the teen. The student's brother got out of his car to intervene, but he was head-butted by Qu and struck several times with the pipe.
The incident occurred just outside of the high school about 12:50 p.m. March 30 as a 16-year-old student waited for his 24-year-old brother to pick him up from sports practice. The school was on spring break at the time.
Qu, carrying a metal pipe, allegedly hit the pipe against several railings and approached the student while he was standing outside of the school. As that was happening, the teen's older brother arrived and exited his vehicle.
The defendant allegedly said racial slurs to the student, then hit the victim's older brother several times with the metal pipe and slammed into him with his head, according to prosecutors.
The brothers were able to get into their car and call for help. The 24-year-old victim suffered a fractured nose and cuts to his face and arms. The younger brother was not injured.
The attacker fled the scene on foot, but was located by officers nearby and taken into custody. A bloody pipe was recovered in the parking lot of the school, according to police.
Qu was arrested and charged with one felony county each of aggravated assault and assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury, and one misdemeanor count of violation of civil rights. He was held on $125,000 bail. If convicted, he faces up to 19 years in state prison.
Court records indicate Qu was charged in 2013 with assault with a deadly weapon. The charge was later dismissed and he pleaded guilty to criminal threats. According to the Orange County Sheriff's Department, Qu was arrested in February for a probation violation. He served one month in jail and was released in mid-March.
More here: Irvine Man Charged in Hate Crime Against African-American Student, Victim's Older Brother: DA