Police seek help in identifying suspects in Laguna hate crime

Police have released surveillance photos of suspects wanted in a

beating that investigators labeled a hate crime.

Fares Mohamed, 33, of Los Angeles was reported beaten Feb. 14 at

the Jack in the Box in the 1200 block of South Coast Highway.

According to police reports of the beating, one of the suspects

used a derogatory term used against gays during the crime, in which

Mohamed was brutally attacked.

“This is definitely a hate crime,” Det. Paul Litchenberg said. “[A

suspect] smacked [Mohamed’s] head into a clay planter.”

Curtis Fox, a 36-year-old Mission Viejo resident, was with Mohamed

at the time but was unhurt. Fox called police after Mohamed was

attacked.

Three men are wanted on suspicion of the attack. One of the men is

described as a white man in his 20s, weighing about 180 pounds. He

reportedly wore a blue baseball cap and white T-shirt during the

attack. Police described the second suspect as a black or Latino man

in his mid-20s, weighing 185 pounds, who wore a dark-colored shirt

and jeans the night of the assault. Police do not have a substantial

description of the third suspect.

The men reportedly drove off in a silver Honda SUV.

Police hope the pictures will lead to a break in the case.

“We need help in identifying who these people are,” Lichtenberg

said.

-- Andrew Edwards