Man Gets Life for Stabbing Victim in Face in L.A. Metro Hate Crime
Jurors found Gerald Pitts guilty of a premeditated attack that left Santos Tejas Gonzalez with life-threatening injuries after a bus confrontation, prosecutors said.
- On Thursday, Gerald Pitts, 67, was sentenced to life plus seven years in state prison for a March 2023 hate crime attack on Santos Tejas Gonzalez aboard a Los Angeles Metro bus.
- During the March 25, 2023, incident, Pitts shouted racial slurs before stabbing Gonzalez multiple times and kicking him in the head at the Western Avenue and Exposition Boulevard stop.
- Jurors convicted Pitts on June 16 of attempted murder and hate crime allegations, determining he targeted Gonzalez based on race; Gonzalez survived despite life-threatening injuries.
- Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman emphasized his office prioritizes aggressive hate crime prosecution, successfully appealing mental health diversions for defendants like Job Uriah Taylor.
- Data from 2024 showed 1,355 hate crimes in Los Angeles County, representing a 1% decrease from the record high in 2023, though a 4% decrease was logged through late July 2026.
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Black man receives sentence after stabbing stranger in face on bus, yelling racial slurs at victim
The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office said the sentence against Gerald Pitts was intended to show that law enforcement officials take racially motivated violence seriously.Santos Tejas Gonzalez was trying to get around Pitts on a Los Angeles Metro Bus in March 2023 when Pitts yelled racial slurs at Gonzalez.'Gerald Pitts attacked a complete stranger because of his race or perceived race, repeatedly stabbed him, and kept attacking him…
Man Gets Life in Prison for Hate Crime Stabbing on L.A. Metro Bus
A man convicted in a violent stabbing attack aboard a Los Angeles Metro bus has been sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole, plus an additional seven years. Prosecutors say Gerald Pitts targeted a stranger during the March 2023 assault in what they described as a racially motivated hate crime.
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