MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — Two South Florida men are each facing a hate crime charge after Miami Beach police accused them of spraying a Jewish man with a water gun after targeting him because of his faith.
According to the Miami Beach Police Department, the incident happened in January on Mid-Beach. The suspects were arrested Thursday night and early Friday morning.
An arrest report states that the victim was standing on the corner of 41st Street and Collins Avenue at around 1:20 a.m. on Jan. 11, talking to “several other members of the Jewish community who were easily identifiable due to wearing yamakas.”
The victim told police that he saw a black SUV, later identified as a 2017 Bentley Bentayga, pull up to him, according to the report. Police said inside were Michael Dean Emerson, 19, of Coral Springs, and Dominic Angelo Martinez, 18, of Tamarac.
Police said the victim heard the duo inside the SUV “scream obscenities at the group,” including “Jews! Jews!” before the front passenger, later identified as Emerson, pulled out a “white, blue and orange” water gun. According to the report, the victim thought it was a real gun and was in fear.
The report states that Emerson “shot an unknown liquid from the simulated firearm and struck (the victim) as well as the other persons in the party in the facial area with the unknown liquid” before leaving.
Police said the duo returned in the Bentley 30 to 40 minutes later and the victim was able to take a photograph of the license plate.
Authorities said after locating Martinez in Miami on Thursday evening and taking him into custody, he implicated Emerson as the sprayer.
Police said they then had Emerson come to the MBPD headquarters and he confessed to spraying the man, but claimed that Martinez was the one who yelled “Jews! Jews!”
Both men were arrested on one count each of battery with prejudice and taken to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.
They were set to appear in court on Friday afternoon and had bonds listed at $5,000.
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