A man suspected of brandishing a baseball bat and yelling threats in the middle of an intersection near the Third Street Promenade, and whose dog allegedly attacked a pedestrian, pleaded not guilty Thursday to a pair of criminal charges.
Nay Min Tar, 49, was charged with one felony count of criminal threats and one misdemeanor count of battery.
Tar was taken into custody Sunday. He was being held on $50,000 bail, but during his arraignment hearing Thursday, bail was reduced to $2,500. He is due back at the Airport Courthouse June 15, when a date will be set for a hearing to determine if there is enough evidence for him to stand trial.
Officers responded at about 5:20 p.m. Sunday to the area of Third Street and Broadway regarding reports of an assault with a deadly weapon, according to the Santa Monica Police Department.
Police said Tar was driving on Broadway but stopped in traffic and began yelling threats at two individuals who were crossing the street. Tar displayed a baseball bat from inside his vehicle, but then exited and chased one of the pedestrians while continuing to make threats, police said.
The suspect’s dog, a male Cane Corso, also chased the victim and bit him on the thigh — “at the defendant’s command” — according to police and the District Attorney’s Office. Santa Monica Animal Control officers arrived at the location and took the dog into custody.
Police said officers had located and detained Tar a short distance away on Fourth Street, noting that multiple witnesses provided statements and video evidence from the area was collected as part of the investigation.
A bystander, Benjamin Basire, posted video on Instagram and said in a post that the pedestrians who were targeted by the suspect were friends of his. He wrote that the couple were walking together when they were attacked “by an antisemitic pro-Palestinian individual.”
“This is globalization of intifada many of you been chanting on our campuses. Hard to believe this is Los Angeles. At least not the same LA that I know,” Basire wrote.
Santa Monica Fire Department personnel treated the victim at the scene for minor injuries related to the dog bite, requiring no additional medical assistance, police said.
Santa Monica police issued a statement Thursday noting that while the charges filed against Tar did not include a hate-crime enhancement, that “does not mean the reported language or conduct was acceptable, nor does it diminish the impact on the victims or the broader community.”
“… SMPD takes targeted threats, intimidation, violence, and hate motivated conduct seriously,” according to the department. “The department remains committed to thorough evidence-based investigations, careful documentation of reported bias indicators, coordination with prosecutors, and continued outreach to community members and partner organizations.”
Tar faces up to three years and six months in prison if convicted as charged, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
Anyone with information regarding the attack or investigation was urged to contact the Santa Monica Police Department at 310-458-8427.
“Our communities should be safe places for everyone to live, work and enjoy without fear,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said in a statement. “Anyone making threats of violence should face swift and appropriate punishment, as this behavior often leads to further escalation.”