Hate crime charges not pursued against man accused of stabbing pro-Palestinian protester

No hate crime charges for stabbing suspect

Bert Baker, 36, was arrested in February after police said he stabbed Zacharia Doar in a "bias-motivated attack."

AUSTIN, Texas - A Travis County jury will not pursue hate crime charges against a man accused of stabbing a pro-Palestinian protester.

Bert Baker, 36, was arrested in February after police said he stabbed Zacharia Doar in a "bias-motivated attack."

According to the arrest affidavit, the incident started when Baker pulled down the tailgate and opened the side doors of a truck Zacharia Doar was in. An altercation followed that ended with Zacharia being stabbed in the chest. Investigators say Baker admitted he had been drinking but didn’t know why he was with police.

Bert Baker

Family of West Campus stabbing victim speaks out

The group that gathered at Austin City Hall Tuesday morning came to support Nizar Doar and his wife. The couple came to the event to it make clear, they believe their son Zachariah is the victim of a hate crime.

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The group at City Hall claim Baker started the attack when he grabbed a scarf off the truck that read 'Free Palestine'.

Doar was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

On April 23, the jury decided to only indict Baker for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

He still remains behind bars in the Travis County Jail on a $100,000 bond.

Crime and Public Safety University/The Drag Israel Hamas war UT Austin Austin