Federal Hate Crime Charges Brought for Assault on Stranger Wearing a Yarmulke in Foggy Bottom

WASHINGTON - A federal grand jury today returned an indictment charging Walter James, 38, with one count of causing bodily harm to an individual due to his actual or perceived religion.

U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia and Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg for the FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement.

The indictment alleges that on the morning of July 10, 2024, James assaulted a man, who was walking through Foggy Bottom and wearing a yarmulke, without any provocation or warning. James repeatedly punched the individual in his face and head. While he was assaulting the individual and immediately afterward, James yelled antisemitic slurs, such as: (1) "You are murdering innocent men, women, and children in Gaza." (2) "They're the cause of all our wars - killing the children of Palestine." (3) "You control us with money." (4) "You are not the real Jewish [sic]." And (5) "You guys kill people in Gaza." As a result of the assault, the individual suffered cuts and abrasions to his face and right elbow and cephalic swelling.

James faces a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in prison if convicted. James was previously charged in D.C. Superior Court with assault with significant injury with a hate crimes enhancement.

This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Crabb Jr.

For more information and resources about the Justice Department's work to combat hate crimes, visit www.justice.gov/hatecrimes.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Prosecuting bias-related crimes is critical to keeping our community safe. When one member of a group in the community is the victim of a bias-related crime, all members carry with them a fear that they, too, may be targeted because of who they are. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia (USAO-DC) is committed to enforcing both federal and local hate and bias-related crime laws. For more information: https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/hatebias-related-crimes.