Stabbing of Palestinian American near the University of Texas meets hate crime standard, police say

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Shaimaa Zayan, left, holds Odi Doar, the mother of stabbing victim Zacharia Doar, as they stand near the podium during a press conference outside City Hall, Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024, in Austin, Texas. The stabbing of Zacharia Doar, a Palestinian-American, who advocates say was attacked near the University of Texas campus while riding in a car displaying support for Palestine merits the label of a hate crime, police announced Wednesday. (Mikala Compton /Austin American-Statesman via AP)

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Odi Doar, the mother of stabbing victim Zacharia Doar, stands near the podium during a press conferenc outside City Hall, Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024, in Austin, Texas. The stabbing of Zacharia Doar, a Palestinian-American, who advocates say was attacked near the University of Texas campus while riding in a car displaying support for Palestine merits the label of a hate crime, police announced Wednesday. (Mikala Compton /Austin American-Statesman via AP)

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This booking photo released by the Austin, Texas, Police Department shows Bert James Baker, 36, who was arrested following a Sunday evening, Feb. 4, 2024, attack on Zacharia Doar, who was hospitalized. Baker was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Police said Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024, that their Hate Crimes Review Committee had determined that the stabbing met the definition of a hate crime. (Austin Police Department via AP)

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Nizar Doar, the father of stabbing victim Zacharia Doar, speaks during a press conference outside City Hall, Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024, in Austin, Texas. The stabbing of Zacharia Doar, a Palestinian-American, who advocates say was attacked near the University of Texas campus while riding in a car displaying support for Palestine merits the label of a hate crime, police announced Wednesday. (Mikala Compton /Austin American-Statesman via AP)

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Mustafaa Caroll, interim executive director of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR-Texas), speaks during a press conference outside City Hall, Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024, in Austin, Texas. The stabbing of Zacharia Doar, a Palestinian-American, who advocates say was attacked near the University of Texas campus while riding in a car displaying support for Palestine merits the label of a hate crime, police announced Wednesday. (Mikala Compton /Austin American-Statesman via AP)

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Cliff Clive holds a sign during a press conference about the stabbing Zacharia Doar outside City Hall, Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024, in Austin, Texas. The stabbing of Zacharia Doar, a Palestinian-American, who advocates say was attacked near the University of Texas campus while riding in a car displaying support for Palestine merits the label of a hate crime, police announced Wednesday. (Mikala Compton /Austin American-Statesman via AP)

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The stabbing of a 23-year-old Palestinian American who advocates say was attacked near the University of Texas campus while riding in a truck displaying support for Palestine merits the label of a hate crime, Austin police announced Wednesday.

Bert James Baker, 36, was arrested following the Sunday evening attack on Zacharia Doar, who was hospitalized. Baker was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Police said Wednesday that their Hate Crimes Review Committee had determined that the stabbing met the definition of a hate crime. They have provided that information to prosecutors, who will make the final decision on whether to enhance the offense.

The Travis County District Attorney’s Office said Wednesday that they are in the process of receiving the evidence from police and “look forward to working with them.”

Doar was one of four Muslim Americans who were in the truck, according to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), which said Baker allegedly tried to rip a flagpole with a keffiyeh scarf reading “Free Palestine” off of their vehicle. CAIR said the four had previously attended a pro-Palestinian protest.

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An arrest affidavit said that Baker, who was on a bicycle, rode up to the truck Doar and three others were riding in, opened the tailgate and doors and yelled racial slurs at them. The group exited the truck and approached Baker, who punched Doar in the shoulders, the affidavit said. A fight ensued, with Baker eventually pulling out a knife and stabbing Doar in the rib, the affidavit said.

When Baker was interviewed by police, he said he was an alcoholic and had more to drink that day than he normally did, the affidavit said.

Baker was being held in jail on Thursday on $100,000 bond. Jail records did not list an attorney for him.

Threats against Jewish, Muslim and Arab communities increased across the U.S. during the Israel-Hamas war. Israel invaded Gaza after an Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas militants.

In Vermont in November, three college students of Palestinian descent were shot and seriously wounded while taking an evening walk in an attack that authorities are investigating as a possible hate crime. In October, a landlord in Illinois was accused of fatally stabbing a 6-year-old Muslim boy and wounding his mother. He was charged with a hate crime after police and relatives said he singled out the victims because of their faith.