Las Vegas suspect accused of hate crime in attack on Black man
A 24-year-old Las Vegas man was arrested Wednesday after attacking and chasing a Black stranger for 13 minutes while yelling racial slurs at him, according to an arrest report.
John Arellano, who is white, faces charges of attempted murder, assault on a protected person and hate/bias crime, according to Clark County Detention Center records.
Las Vegas police were dispatched at about 5 p.m. Wednesday to a bus stop near Fairwood Circle and Jones Boulevard after a report of a suspect actively chasing a victim.
Upon arriving, officers told Arellano get on the ground. Arellano turned to the officers with fists clenched and began marching toward them, the report said. Police used a nonlethal bean bag shotgun and a stun gun on Arellano before arresting him.
The man being chased told police that he was walking home from work when Arellano called him a racial slur and punched him in the face. Arellano then chased the man for approximately seven blocks and only stopped when police arrived, the report said.
While in custody, Arellano said racial slurs when referring to the man and admitted that he punched him.
“John stated ‘I should have killed that black guy I hit,” the report said.
Arellano also told police he is at war with Black people.
Arellano’s description matched a suspect who attempted to stab a Black woman the night prior near the same location, police said.
He is being held on $30,000 bail and has a status check set for Tuesday morning.
Contact Mathew Miranda at mmiranda@reviewjournal.com. Follow @mathewjmiranda on Twitter.
