Santa Cruz couple released after alleged hate crime incident

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION-TV) UPDATE APRIL 27, 2022 at 6:08 p.m.-- Santa Cruz Police said two people have been released from custody following an allegation of a hate crime on Saturday.

Monday two new eyewitnesses came forward to shed more light on what happened that day with the involved parties, according to police.

Santa Cruz Police spoke with the Santa Cruz County District Attorney and concluded that the arrested party could be released without further investigation.

Now it is up to the District Attorney's Office to see if criminal charges related to this matter will be filed.

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ORIGINAL STORY

A couple in Sana Cruz was arrested on Saturday after verbally and physically assaulting a gay couple along Blackburn Street.

It happened at about 11:30 a.m. when two men were walking their dog and crossed paths with a man and a woman who were also walking their pet. The dogs suddenly began barking and fighting and things then escalated between the pet owners, according to police.

The suspect is accused of yelling homophobic epithets at the gay couple and assaulting one of them.

His girlfriend is also accused of "aiding in the assault," according to police. The victim sustained minor injuries.

An arrest was made after the victims identified the couple and both face hate crime charges, according to police.

Police in Santa Cruz says they denounce hate crimes and encourage people to report these types of incidents to police.