Man sentenced to 35 years in Pico Robertson County anti-Semitic shooting

Suspect who targeted two Jewish men leaving synagogue and pleads guilty

A man who shot and wounded two Jewish men as they left a church service in the Pico-Robertson neighborhood of Los Angeles was sentenced Monday to 35 years in federal prison.

Jaime Tran, 30, of Riverside, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge George H. Wu after pleading guilty in June to two counts of hate crime with intent to kill and two counts of using a firearm in a crime of violence. A restitution hearing is scheduled for December 2nd.

Tran carried out the shootings on February 15 and 16, 2023, against Jewish men wearing yarmulkes as they left synagogues. Both victims survived their injuries. Tran fled the scene but was arrested on February 17 after a witness saw him firing a gun behind a motel.

“The targeted killing of people based solely on their religious and ethnic backgrounds brings back memories of the darkest chapters in human history,” said U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada. “Such hateful violence has no place in America.”

Attorney General Merrick Garland condemned Tran’s actions, saying, “Heinous acts of anti-Semitic hatred endanger the safety of individuals and entire communities. “No Jewish person in America should have to fear that any sign of their identity will make them the victim of a hate crime.”

According to court documents, Tran’s anti-Semitic rhetoric escalated over the years. In 2018, he left graduate school after making anti-Semitic comments, and in 2022, he sent violent messages to former classmates. In one message, Tran wrote, “I want you dead, Jude.”

In January 2023, Tran illegally obtained two firearms through a third party because he was prohibited from purchasing weapons due to previous mental disorders. He later used one of these weapons in the shootings.

On the morning of the attacks, Tran searched online for locations near kosher markets because he believed Jews lived there. Both attacks occurred near synagogues in Pico-Robertson, where Tran shot his victims at close range.

“The FBI will always defend the constitutional right to religious freedom,” said Akil Davis, assistant director of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “Anyone who violates this right through acts of violence will be held accountable.”

The Jewish Federation of LA issued a statement via email saying: “The Jewish Federation Los Angeles is grateful for today’s sentencing of the perpetrator responsible for the 2023 anti-Semitic shooting in the Pico-Robertson area of ​​Los Angeles Angeles, which involved members of the Jewish community.” We thank the LAPD, the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, whose combined efforts led to today’s outcome. Our community appreciates the prompt filing of federal reports, thorough investigation and successful prosecution of this hate crime. We hope today’s decision will help provide closure for the victims and their families and help our broader Jewish community feel protected.”

The case was investigated by the FBI and the Los Angeles Police Department with assistance from several local law enforcement agencies. Prosecutors Kathrynne N. Seiden and Frances S. Lewis led the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.