Family of West Campus stabbing victim wants case classified as hate crime

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

"I think what happened is clear as the sun, today. I really call for the law enforcement to do the right investigation and determine exactly what happened," said Nizar Doar.

The Doars were part of a pro-Palestine rally at the Texas State Capitol on Sunday. When it was over, Nizar and his wife headed back to their home in Dallas while their son and three friends stayed behind to have dinner.

"I drove an hour and a half hour. 45 minutes in, I get a terrible call saying, ‘Uncle, you have to turn back. Your son has been stabbed’. The first thing that came to my mind is I'm going to lose my son," said Doar.

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Austin police arrested Bert James Baker for the attack. Baker's last known address is in San Marcos, according to court records. He also has multiple arrests in Caldwell County for family violence. 

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. 

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

"We came down here to promote peace and to share that violence is not acceptable is not the answer. And we were met with violence," said protest organizer Mohammed Ayachi.

In a statement sent to FOX 7, APD determined the attack to be "bias-motivated." The case will be reviewed, but it will be up to Travis County prosecutors to classify it as a hate crime.

"This attack is an example of how hate words manifest into violent actions that can tear our, can tear a community apart," said local activist Hatem Natsheh.

At City Hall, local and state leaders as well as President Biden were also blamed for the West Campus attack.

"We're asking for a resolution and denouncing Islamophobia and anti-Semitism, and calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and asking for the city council to stand with us and help us feel less afraid. We are not the enemy," said community organizer Zainab Haider.

The group believes support for Israel after the October 7 attack by Hamas has been unfair. The messaging they believe has created a negative image against all Arabs and Muslims.

"I think everything that happened, all the horrific events that happened on October 7th and everything that's happened since then. My biggest fear here in Austin was the violence was to come here to Austin, and we would see folks in the Jewish community or Muslim community touched by this violence. And I think that that became a reality on Sunday night," said Austin City Council member Zohaib "Zo" Qadri.

Officials with the Anti-Defamation League and Shalom Austin issued a joint statement, calling the attack shocking and outrageous. The statement reads:

"We are shocked and outraged by Sunday night's stabbing of a Palestinian-American in Austin following a rally that took place at the Capitol. Our hearts go out to the victim, his loved ones, and Austin’s Arab and Muslim communities in the wake of this frightening attack.

We will not tolerate this kind of hate and violence and will stand up against bigotry and intolerance through our long partnership with these communities. We call on law enforcement to fully investigate this act as a possible hate crime.

With violence spreading around the world, we must commit to caring for local communities in Austin, ensuring our collective safety and well-being. It is incumbent upon all of us to make Austin a safe place for all to live, gather, and debate important issues."