Man Slaps Mom Sitting with Her Children at McDonald’s in Unprovoked ‘Act of Hate,’: Cops

A family outing turned into a distressing development in Fremont California when a -year-old man allegedly attacked a mother and made a racist remark inside a McDonald s restaurant Officials say Marcus Harper has been charged with battery and a hate crime for the April case which took place around p m while a family of four two parents and their children was dining According to the Fremont Police Department Harper approached the family unprovoked and began by stealing food directly from their table consuming it in front of them He then briefly walked away only to return and allegedly slap the mother across the face while standing behind her Source Local Racist Remark and Assault on a Child After the physical assault on the mother prosecutors allege Harper made a racially charged comment You Indians need to go back to your country The verbal attack added to the emotional trauma of the episode especially given the presence of the couple s young children Before leaving the fast-food restaurant Harper allegedly escalated his aggression by throwing a sauce packet at the family s -year-old daughter The unprovoked series of attacks shocked both the casualties and nearby diners Suspect Located and Arrested Following the episode Fremont police obtained an arrest warrant for Harper On April four days after the altercation officers located him sitting alone in a parked car in the area of Marshlands Road and Thornton Avenue He was taken into custody without resistance and booked into Santa Rita Jail where he remained as of Wednesday A police account later revealed that Harper did not deny his actions He reportedly narrated officers that the father gave him a weird feeling and that he felt as if the man desired him to slap her Harper further claimed he blacked out during the event and couldn t recall all the details of the attack District Attorney Condemns Hate-Fueled Violence Alameda County District Attorney Ursula Jones Dickson strongly condemned the act calling it a clear example of racially motivated aggression Speaking to KTVU she noted This act of hate based upon the perceived national origin of these casualties is entirely unacceptable The message necessities to be clear that such behavior will not be tolerated and those who commit hate crimes will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law The occurrence underscores growing concerns around racially motivated incidents in citizens spaces and the need for firm legal consequences Prosecutors are now preparing to move forward with charges aimed at holding Harper accountable under California s hate crime statutes