DC man pleads guilty in attack on Asian American family

Authorities on Thursday said that a Washington, D.C., man has pleaded guilty to attacking an Asian American family.

The Department of Justice said in a statement that Patrick Trebat pleaded guilty to three counts of simple assault, including one with a hate-bias enhancement for attacking the family. 

According to court documents, authorities said on the night of August 7, 2021, Trebat approached an Asian American couple and their son, who were walking near the intersection of Wisconsin Avenue NW and Fulton Street NW. 

Trebat then began to shout profanities toward the family as they tried to cross the street. “You are not American,” Trebat shouted at the family. “Go back to your country.”

Trebat then ran up and attack the man from behind, punching the back of his head and shoving him to the ground, according to court documents. 

The suspect then targeted the woman as she fell onto the ground after being shoved by him. The couple’s son tried to intervene in the suspected attack, but Trebat punched him in the face. 

As a result of the attack, the family suffered a number of injuries. The father experienced pain in the back of his head and a broken wrist, the son suffered a fractured finger, and the woman had to go through medical evaluation due to the injuries she suffered. 

Metropolitan Police Department officers responded to the scene and were able to arrest Trebat after the family identified him as their attacker, court documents said. 

The guilty plea comes amid a rise of targeted attacks on Asian Americans since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. President Biden signed into law the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act last May, aimed at combatting the rise of anti-Asian attacks that occurred during the last two years. 

Trebat, 39, was then sentenced to serve at least one and a half years in prison with 210 of those days suspended if he completes three years of supervised probation, the court documents noted.