A Twentynine Palms man was arrested for investigation of assault with a hammer in a convenience store and is facing charges related to hate crime.
On Wednesday October 16, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s deputies say they responded to an emergency call when a suspect had a disagreement with employees at the 7-Eleven in Twentynine Palms. Deputies report that the suspect, identified as William Williams, 66, broke one of the store’s windows with a hammer, then attempted to strike employees of the store with the hammer. It is alleged that Williams made statements regarding the ethnicity of the employee, and deputies say that the attack “may have been racially motivated.” Williams then fled the store before deputies arrived.
Deputies reviewed the 7-Eleven’s security footage, and were able to identify Williams as the suspect. They contacted him at 2:35 p.m. at his home in the 5000 block of Morongo Road in Twentynine Palms, where they say he resisted an executive officer, but was taken into custody.
William Willams was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, making criminal threats, vandalism, and resisting arrest, and he is being held at the West Valley Detention Center on $200,000 bail. He is facing two enhancements to his felony charges for committing hate crimes.
