Man Sentenced Over Pico Shootings of Two Jewish Men

The man convicted in the shooting of two Jewish men in the Pico-Robertson neighborhood has been sentenced to 35 years in prison, the Department of Justice announced on Sept. 30.

As previously reported by The Journal, Jaime Tran pled guilty in May to charges of hate crimes with intent to kill and using a gun as part of a violent crime. In his guilty plea, the 30-year-old Riverside resident admitted he planned to shoot someone near a kosher market because he believed there would be Jewish people in the area.” He shot two Jewish men, one on Feb. 15 and the other on Feb. 16. Both victims survived their injuries. The DOJ noted in its Sept. 30 announcement that the government’s sentencing position argued that Tran’s “campaign of terror would likely have continued” had he not been caught.

“After years of spewing antisemitic vitriol, the defendant planned and carried out a two-day attack attempting to murder Jews leaving synagogue in Los Angeles,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement. “Vile acts of antisemitic hatred endanger the safety of individuals and entire communities, and allowing such crimes to go unchecked endangers the foundation of our democracy itself.” Garland, who is Jewish, noted that “as millions of Jewish Americans prepare to observe the High Holy Days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the Justice Department reaffirms its commitment to aggressively confronting, disrupting, and prosecuting criminal acts motivated by antisemitism, or by hatred of any kind. No Jewish person in America should have to fear that any sign of their identity will make them the victim of a hate crime.”

Los Angeles Police Chief Dominic Choi said in a statement, “While this sentencing cannot fully restore the sense of safety stolen from the two victims and the Jewish community, it is a decisive step towards justice and a clear message that such acts of hate and violence will not be tolerated.”

Speaking to reporters outside of the courthouse where Tran was sentenced, Anti-Defamation League Los Angeles Regional Director Jeffrey Abrams said that the sentencing will “ensure that Tran cannot threaten this community for decades to come. He came into our neighborhood in Pico-Robertson in an attempt to terrorize the Jewish community, today is a resounding message that he failed.”

"We welcome today’s sentencing which ensures Mr. Tran cannot threaten this community for decades to come. He came into our neighborhood to attempt to terrorize the Jewish community. Today sends the resounding message that he failed," ADL Los Angeles Regional Director… pic.twitter.com/Aq2FrR2kJS

— ADL California (@ADLCalifornia) September 30, 2024

The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles said in a statement, “Jewish Federation Los Angeles is grateful for today’s sentencing of the perpetrator responsible for the 2023 antisemitic shooting in the Pico-Robertson area of Los Angeles, which targeted members of the Jewish community. We thank the LAPD, FBI, and the United States Attorney’s Office, whose joint efforts led to today’s result. Our community appreciates the swift filing of federal charges, thorough investigation, and successful prosecution of this hate crime. We hope today’s decision helps to bring closure to the victims and their families and makes our broader Jewish community feel protected.”