Suspect Indicted on Federal Hate Crime Charges in Shootings of 2 Jewish Men

This week, a man accused of shooting two Jewish men outside synagogues in Los Angeles was indicted on federal hate crime charges and faces life in prison if found guilty, according to the Justice Department.

Police report two shootings that took place within 24 hours of each other in Pico-Robertson, Los Angeles - a neighborhood home to many Jews. Both victims were wearing traditional Jewish attire when they died, police report.

Jaime Tran

At a news conference held on Friday morning, U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada announced that 28-year-old Jaime Tran, an Asian-American man arrested for two shootings that targeted Jewish men in Los Angeles earlier this week, has been indicted on federal hate crime charges in connection with two attacks that took place on Wednesday and Thursday. According to Tran's arrest record, authorities believe these shootings occurred between February 9-11th.

According to an FBI affidavit, Tran admitted to police that he was motivated to shoot the victims because they were wearing clothing which identified their religion - such as black coats and head coverings.

Two victims were shot as they left synagogues in Pico-Robertson, Los Angeles' majority Jewish neighborhood. Both were wearing clothing which clearly identified them as Jews - black coats and head coverings, according to an affidavit.

In the initial incident, the victim was leaving synagogue services when he noticed a gray Honda Civic driving towards him, according to an affidavit. He opened his driver's side door and turned his back toward the car but immediately heard a loud bang - followed by shock as he realized he had been shot in the back.

Investigators located Tran at the scene, and his driver's license indicated he had been living out of his car for at least a year, according to an affidavit. He was carrying an AK-style rifle and.380 caliber handgun, it reads. Officers also observed spent shell casings inside of the vehicle.

Officers spoke with Tran, who explained that he had been homeless for 12 to 14 months and acquired firearms from someone in Arizona. Additionally, Tran claimed to have searched Yelp - a business review website - to locate his neighborhood and targeted those wearing "head gear."

Tran had a history of antisemitism, according to an affidavit, in which he sent emails filled with racist and antisemitic comments to former classmates at a dental school in 2022. Additionally, Tran threatened one classmate by repeatedly sending messages like "Someone is going to kill you, Jew" and expressing his desire for them both to die.

Charged with Hate Crimes

Hate crimes are grave offenses that affect victims and communities alike. These offenses stem from prejudices or animus based on race, ethnicity, gender identity, religion affiliation disability status or sexual orientation.

Acts of violence and threats of violence often involve one individual, but can also be committed by multiple individuals or groups. Furthermore, they tend to have wider-reaching effects than other criminal offenses, impacting entire neighborhoods or communities.

Jaime Tran was arrested Thursday on federal hate crimes charges following the shootings of two Jewish men outside synagogues in Los Angeles this week. According to U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada at a news conference held Friday afternoon, Tran is accused of targeting them as they left prayer services.

On April 27th, two men were shot and killed in Pico-Robertson, a predominantly Jewish neighborhood of west Los Angeles. Both victims were wearing clothing which "visibly identified their Jewish faith," such as black jackets and head coverings, according to prosecutors. One victim suffered a gunshot wound to the lower back while the other was shot in the arm.

Police reported both victims to be in their 40s and walking from home when they were shot. The first incident took place Wednesday at 9:55 a.m. near Pico Boulevard on Shenandoah Street; less than 24 hours later on Thursday at 8:30 a.m. in the 1600 block of South Bedford Street, according to LAPD records.

Before being apprehended, the suspect had a history of antisemitic and threatening conduct, according to an FBI affidavit. He allegedly used emails and text messages to express his "hate-filled views about Jews," the indictment states. Additionally, he threatened a Jewish former classmate by repeatedly sending her messages such as "Someone is going to kill you, Jew" and "I want you dead, Jew," the document reads.

According to the indictment, he sent emails to two dozen former classmates about "anti-Jewish propaganda" and acquired at least two firearms before the attacks. Additionally, he conducted internet searches for kosher markets before the attacks, it said.

Hate crimes are defined by the US Department of Justice as acts or threats of violence motivated by bias based on protected groups such as race, ethnicity, color, religion, gender identity/expression and sexual orientation. Thousands of law enforcement agencies worldwide volunteer their data to the Uniform Crime Reporting Program's Hate Crime Statistics Data Collection in order to record these offenses.

Charged with Attempted Murder

On Friday afternoon, the suspect accused of shooting two Jewish men this week was indicted on federal hate crime charges. Both incidents took place within blocks of each other in West Los Angeles' Pico-Robertson neighborhood and occurred as the victims exited synagogues.

Prosecutors filed charges against Jaime Tran, whom they allege was "motivated by antisemitism." He allegedly sent a series of antisemitic text messages to a former dental school classmate as well as other threatening and abusive emails.

Prosecutors claimed Tran, 28, had a history of hostility towards the Jewish community. According to his indictment, Tran made "numerous hate-filled statements and threats about Jews" between August 2022 and December 2022. Additionally, Tran allegedly sent antisemitic propaganda via email to two dozen former classmates.

At an interview with federal agents, Tran reportedly admitted to targeting victims in Pico-Robertson neighborhood because of their attire and head gear as well as their religion. He searched for a kosher market on Yelp business review app and drove there to locate his victims, according to charging documents.

According to KTLA, one victim was shot in the back while another suffered injuries to their arm. Both were wearing traditional religious attire that could have easily identified them as Jewish, according to an arrest affidavit.

Investigators investigating the shooting of the first victim, a man from Pico-Robertson neighborhood of Los Angeles, saw a man approach his vehicle as he exited the synagogue. As he turned to get in his car, however, a loud bang interrupted him and it became evident that someone had been shot.

A second victim, a man attending Beit El synagogue in the same neighborhood, reported being shot in the upper arm as he crossed a street. He was taken to the hospital in critical condition.

Tran was also charged with attempted murder in addition to his hate crime convictions. This is considered one of the most serious offenses, in which someone intentionally attempts to harm another and takes at least one direct step towards doing so - such as shooting a gun at them but missing, stabbing them in the chest or hiring someone else for this purpose. Attempted murder typically results in life imprisonment unless there is some type of defense such as "renunciation" or "withdrawal".

Released on Bond

On Thursday afternoon, a 28-year-old man was indicted on federal hate crime charges after allegedly shooting two Jewish men as they left synagogues in Los Angeles. The suspect was taken into custody and will appear in court Friday afternoon.

According to the indictment, Jaime Tran, identified as Jaime Tran, has a long history of antisemitism. In 2022 he sent antisemitic text messages to several former classmates at a dental school and distributed an antisemitic flyer to two dozen individuals. Furthermore, Tran allegedly purchased at least two firearms and conducted internet searches for kosher markets before targeting victims in Pico-Robertson neighborhood of Los Angeles.

Prosecutors reported that both victims - both in their 20s and able-bodied - were wearing traditional Jewish clothing, including yarmulkes. Both were shot multiple times in the lower back and arms.

On Wednesday morning at 10 a.m., the victim was walking toward his car when he made eye contact with a man driving a dark-colored sedan, according to an affidavit. As they crossed the street together, three loud shots rang out before he realized what had happened: three shots had been fired into his arm!

Later, the victim turned and walked away from the shooter without making any further contact. However, he did call police. When officers arrived at the scene, they discovered both guns used in the initial shooting as well as another gun and some ammunition, investigators reported.

Officers also discovered a gun clip, later determined to belong to the suspect. Both victims were transported to a local hospital for treatment and release after being cleared.

As the investigation into the shootings progressed, authorities began to wonder if they were connected. After all, they occurred in the same neighborhood - Pico-Robertson district - and both incidents took place during religious services.

It was later discovered that the suspect had been stalking both victims and their families online, threatening them with death by shooting due to their religious affiliation.

London's FTSE 100 Dragged Lower by Oil Majors, But Logs Weekly Gain

On Friday, the UK's FTSE 100 was hit by oil majors but still managed to post its third consecutive weekly gain. The index rose 0.9% this week.

Oil and mining stocks make up a substantial portion of the FTSE 100 index, but these companies only make up one fifth of it. The remaining half is comprised of more reliable companies with a wider variety of businesses.

Oil and gas

Britain's blue-chip FTSE 100 index has finished 2022 on a modest high, holding on during an otherwise challenging year marked by rising inflation, higher interest rates and the Ukraine war. On its final trading day of 2022, the internationally focused index ended almost 1% higher than it began the year, buoyed by strong gains in energy companies' and miners' share prices.

The FTSE 100 index is closely watched for its influence over market movements and as an indication of how well the UK economy is doing. Its constituents are multinational corporations that generate most of their revenue outside the US, making it particularly pertinent to watch market developments closely.

The FTSE 100 rate is highly volatile and can change weekly depending on how the companies comprising it perform. Therefore, it's essential to monitor these companies daily, along with their stock market capital, in order to anticipate any shifts in the FTSE 100 rate.

Another potential influencer on the FTSE 100 rate is earnings reports and changes to commodity prices. Since these companies account for more than 10% of the index value, any movement in these costs could have a substantial effect on its value.

Since the start of this year, oil and gas stocks have been a major drag on London's FTSE 100 index, with majors like Shell and BP reporting weak first-half results that hurt their share prices. However, these declines have been offset by gains in miners such as Glencore and Rio Tinto which are riding higher metal prices amid expectations of an uptick in Chinese demand.

Despite recent setbacks, oil and gas stocks still offer investors potential long-term gains. With Opec and its allies cutting production by 100,000 barrels per day in October, there is likely to be a supply scarcity which will support oil prices as well as fuel demand from oil and gas companies over the coming months.

Mining

On Friday, London's FTSE 100 index declined as oil majors BP and Shell pulled it down, as investors assessed the likelihood of more Bank of England monetary policy tightening following strong business activity figures in February. For the week, blue-chip indexes closed flat while more domestically focused FTSE 250 midcap index added 0.4%.

Commodity-related sectors also contributed to the decline in the index, with copper prices declining amid weak China retail sales data. BHP fell 1.0%, Antofagasta, Rio Tinto, Anglo American and Glencore all lost between 2.5 to 3.6 percent.

The FTSE 100 recorded its third straight weekly gain on Friday, buoyed by expectations that the BoE's rate-hiking cycle may have ended and China's manufacturing activity had expanded more than expected. The industrial metal miners index rose 2.1% to post its best performance since early November as mining stocks rallied on expectations of an uptick in demand from the world's largest economy.

Meanwhile, a weaker pound boosted exporters on the FTSE 100. British software firm AVEVA Group saw its share price soar 27% after French conglomerate Schneider said they may buy out minority shareholders; property portal Rightmove saw its site engagement drop 1.1% during 2022 due to lower engagement levels reported.

Housebuilders were among the worst performers, with AJ Bell analyst Russ Mould forecasting that profit margins will be squeezed due to the ongoing decline in UK house prices. "Failing property values and increasing costs have eaten into profits for housebuilders,' Mould noted. 'This trend is expected to persist,"

On the positive side, BHP reported improved interim results across most of its operations and predicted China will be a "stabilizing force" behind commodity demand this year. "China's pro-growth policies, including in the property sector and an easing of Covid restrictions are expected to support gradual improvement from difficult economic conditions in the first half of this year," BHP stated in a statement.

Despite these gains, the FTSE 100 remains under pressure as investors worry about slowing global growth and an excess supply of crude. Mining companies, which depend on commodities like copper to power their economies, remain particularly vulnerable. On the other hand, financials and energy companies have seen good success due to higher oil prices.

Technology

London's FTSE 100 index was pressured lower by oil majors, miners and luxury brand Burberry Group after an underwhelming earnings update. Nonetheless, the index posted its weekly gain on optimism surrounding an expected end to Bank of England rate tightening cycle as well as stronger-than-expected expansion in top metals consumer China's manufacturing activity.

Apple and Alphabet, two tech titans, have been among the biggest losers on the index this year, falling around 20%. Furthermore, their sector as a whole is underperforming as well. Critics have pointed to London's stock market for housing few technology firms compared to others that have driven US and global indices higher since the financial crisis.

Investors have reason to be wary of tech stocks after suffering massive losses in recent months. Yet Fawad Razaqzada, market analyst at City Index, has pointed out the absence of tech firms in the UK as an advantage, suggesting that their absence could help stimulate London's economy and attract more foreign investment.

Another potential advantage for London's economy is its lower corporate tax rate compared to the US. City Index reports that Britain plans on cutting its corporate tax rate from 15% to 17% by 2020, potentially leading to an impressive surge in investment activity.

Other factors can influence the value of the FTSE 100, such as economic data, foreign events and commodity prices. On Friday, an upbeat jobs report and strong ISM services reading in the US sent the dollar higher - a boon to London's blue-chip index.

Conversely, worries about inflation as the economy recovers have dampened investor enthusiasm for stocks, leading to a partial retreat of Friday's gains. In January, UK headline inflation fell for a third straight month to remain above the Bank of England's 2% target.

Analysts note that the economy is only just beginning to recover and it could take several years before UK's FTSE 100 returns to its European peers' level. Therefore, investors are waiting for more evidence before deciding whether to purchase or sell.

Financials

On Friday, London's FTSE 100 index lost some initial momentum due to oil majors but still managed to post a weekly gain. A strong pound also dampened investor enthusiasm as they assessed whether more Bank of England (BoE) monetary policy tightening would occur after strong business activity figures in February.

The FTSE 100 index provides a measure of the performance of the UK's largest listed companies and is often used as an indicator when making investment decisions. Although widely followed, it may not accurately reflect the state of the UK economy since most of its constituents are multinational corporations with an international focus.

Shares in financials firms such as Lloyds Banking Group (LLOYD.L) and HSBC Holdings (HBC.L) declined after the UK's largest mortgage lender revealed it would set aside more than PS1bn to cover anticipated loan defaults. M&G (M&G.L) gave back 2.5% and 4.2%, respectively, after their stocks went ex-dividend, while abrdn (ABRN.L) declined 3.8% despite offering a positive outlook for the group.

On Friday, energy majors Shell and BP (BP.L) shares were among the worst performers, declining more than 1% each due to higher oil prices and concerns about an ongoing Chinese trade war. On the other hand, miners rose 2.1% on higher metal prices on hopes of a demand recovery in China.

As is common with stock indices, the FTSE 100 is weighted according to free-float adjusted market capitalization. This means that each company's share price changes along with its free-float stock cap value throughout the day. This allows the index's fluctuation to reflect more accurately what individual stocks are doing rather than their overall worth.

The FTSE 100 is an important part of the LSE's global indexes and one of the most closely watched in existence. Unlike most other indices, it isn't measured in currency but points; instead it uses free-float adjusted market capitalizations of its constituent companies as well as an index divisor to calculate its value.