Man suspected of attacking Muslim worshippers in Morgan Hill faces hate crime charge
By Tim Fang
MORGAN HILL, Calif. (KPIX) -- A Morgan Hill man was arrested and is facing a hate crime charge after he allegedly attacked Muslim worshippers during Ramadan.
According to Morgan Hill Police, 59-year-old Mark Allen of Morgan Hill turned himself into authorities in connection with the incident, which took place on the evening of March 7 at the Morgan Hill Community Center.
In a separate statement, the Bay Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations said the suspect harassed multiple members of the South Valley Islamic Community Center after evening prayers and shouted anti-Palestinian and Islamophobic remarks. The suspect also allegedly assaulted an elderly man who was at the mosque with his daughter.
Following an investigation, police said they identified a suspect, gathered witness statements and submitted the case to the Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen's Office for review. Rosen filed a hate crime charge against the suspect.
In an interview with CBS News Bay Area, Rosen said that the victim in the assault is 76-years-old and had been wearing prayer garb at the time of the incident. Rosen said Allen pushed the man, who almost fell but was held up by others at the scene.
"In a county as diverse as Santa Clara County's, where there is people of every religion, every ethnicity, every sexual orientation, from all over the world, it's incredibly important that we all get along with one other," Rosen said. "And when someone targets someone or singles them out because of their religious difference or ethnic difference, if we don't take a very strong stand against that, we risk losing the fabric of our community."
Rosen said Allen faces up to one year in jail if convicted.
"We are grateful to the District Attorney's Office for treating this incident with the seriousness it deserves," the mosque's board of directors said in a statement. "Our community came together during Ramadan in faith, and we should never have to fear being attacked while doing so. We hope this sends a strong message that hate has no home in Morgan Hill."
Police said an arrest warrant was issued and Allen surrendered to police.
"After working closely with the victims, we know this necessary step helps demonstrate the District Attorney's support for the Muslim community's safety and well-being," said CAIR attorney Bismah Jaffer. "It also sends a clear message that targeting Muslims, Palestinians, or allies will not be tolerated."
Mayor Mark Turner said in a statement on social media, "Our Muslim neighbors, like all residents, deserve to feel safe and respected. We are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where diversity is celebrated and everyone can live without fear. Let this serve as a reminder that hate will not go unaddressed in Morgan Hill."
As Mayor of Morgan Hill, I want to make it unequivocally clear that our community stands united against hate in all its...Posted by Mark Turner - Mayor of Morgan Hill on Monday, April 21, 2025
Rosen said there has been an uptick in hate crimes. So far this year, his office has filed 15 hate crime cases, with victims primarily in the Latino, African-American and LGBTQ+ communities.
Court records show Allen is scheduled to be arraigned on May 30.
