A former California resident has been sentenced to 35 years in prison for shooting and wounding two Jewish men last year as they left religious services in Los Angeles. Jaime Tran, 30, previously of Riverside, pleaded guilty on June 3 to two counts of hate crimes with intent to kill and two counts of using, carrying, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland stated, “After years of spewing antisemitic vitriol, the defendant planned and carried out a two-day attack attempting to murder Jews leaving synagogue in Los Angeles.” He emphasized that acts of antisemitic hatred endanger individuals and communities, reaffirming the Justice Department's commitment to prosecuting such crimes.
U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada for the Central District of California remarked, “Targeting people for death based solely on their religious and ethnic background brings back memories of the darkest chapters in human history.” He added that hate-fueled violence has no place in America and hoped the sentence would send a strong message against antisemitism.
Assistant Director in Charge Akil Davis of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office commented on the importance of defending constitutional rights: “The FBI will always defend that constitutional right. Those who violate the First Amendment by violent acts... will be held accountable.”
Los Angeles Police Chief Dominic Choi noted that while the sentencing cannot fully restore safety for the victims and community, it is a step towards justice: “It is a decisive step towards justice and a clear message that such acts of hate and violence will not be tolerated.”
According to government submissions, Tran had harbored antisemitic hatred for years before his attacks. In 2018, he left graduate school after making antisemitic comments about other students. From August to December 2022, his statements became increasingly violent. Messages included threats like “I want you dead, Jew,” and he described himself as a “ticking time bomb.”
In November 2022, Tran sent former classmates antisemitic propaganda linking Jews to COVID-19. By January 2023, prohibited from purchasing firearms due to mental health holds, Tran asked someone else to buy guns for him in Phoenix. The third party later pleaded guilty in Arizona for illegally selling Tran one firearm used in the shootings.
In early February 2023, Tran declared online: “it’s time to kill all Jews.” On February 15th and 16th, he shot two Jewish men wearing yarmulkes near synagogues in Pico-Robertson but both survived. Law enforcement arrested Tran on February 17th after receiving reports of someone shooting behind a motel.
The FBI and Los Angeles Police Department led the investigation with assistance from multiple local police departments including Riverside County Sheriff’s Department and UCLA Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathrynne N. Seiden and Frances S. Lewis prosecuted the case.