MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. — A 19-year-old man is now facing hate crime charges in connection with two battery incidents that occurred last month in a predominantly Jewish neighborhood in northeast Miami-Dade, authorities announced Friday.
According to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, Amir Ayesh was arrested after two separate victims were sprayed with an unknown liquid on May 9 by Ayesh, who was passing by them in a black vehicle.
Detectives said the two incidents occurred within just minutes of each other in the area of Northeast 10th Avenue and 171st Street.
Authorities said Homeland Security Bureau detectives were able to link Ayesh to both incidents through surveillance video that showed him using a water gun to spray the victims from his car.
According to Detective Samantha Choon, an arrest warrant was signed on June 11, charging Ayesh with two counts of battery with prejudice, “a felony enhancement under Florida law.”
She said Ayesh was taken into custody Thursday in Plantation with assistance by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Plantation Police Department.
He was transported to the Broward County Main Jail and will eventually be transferred to Miami-Dade County.
“MDSO remains committed to investigating crimes that target individuals based on their race, religion, ethnicity, or other protected characteristics,” Choon said in an email to Local 10 News.
Ayesh’s arrest comes months after two other men were arrested for similar accusations.
In that case, Miami Beach police said Michael Dean Emerson, 19, of Coral Springs, and Dominic Angelo Martinez, 18, of Tamarac, used a water gun to spray a Jewish man on Mid-Beach in January.
Police said the duo targeted the victim because of his faith.
Anyone with additional information related to the latest investigation is asked to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS.
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