3 Sought for Yelling Slurs, Beating Two Asian Youths : Crime: Police are investigating attack on brothers as an assault with a deadly weapon with “an enhancement of a hate crime.”

HUNTINGTON BEACH — In an attack that police are investigating as a hate crime, three young white men are being sought for yelling racial slurs before beating two teen-age Asian-American brothers with an automobile security device.

The Japanese-American brothers, ages 18 and 15, and two Asian-American passengers were in a 1979 Datsun pickup truck June 15 when they were cut off at Beach Boulevard and Edinger Avenue, police said. They were heading home from a drive-in movie between 2:30 and 3 a.m.

The brothers, who are Fountain Valley residents, told police that two of the assailants rushed from their vehicle brandishing “The Club,” an anti-theft device that attaches to and immobilizes automobile steering wheels.

One of the attackers used the device to smash the windshield of the victims’ truck and reached into the passenger side to strike the younger brother on the leg. The assailants then yelled racial slurs and said, “Why don’t you go back to high school?” according to the two brothers’ mother and reports filed with police.

The older brother, a June graduate of Fountain Valley High School, responded by grabbing a tire iron and swinging it at the attackers, landing one blow. Recounting the incident Monday, the victim’s mother said one of the attackers then struck him three times in the head with the anti-theft device.

He was treated for his injuries at Humana Hospital-Huntington Beach. His mother said he is still suffering headaches from the attack.

The mother of the two youths, who did not want her name used “because I don’t want any more harm to come to my sons,” said her family is on edge after the attack.

“It’s scary out there,” she said. “Fountain Valley is a great place to live and I can’t believe it’s happening.”

She said she is afraid the attackers got her son’s license plate number and may trace it to her home. The said that the family has not taken any extra security precautions, but noted that “we have a real good watchdog.”

Police Lt. Gary Davis said Monday that police are investigating the crime as an assault with a deadly weapon with “an enhancement of a hate crime,” which carries the possibility of harsher sentencing.

Davis said police were hampered and unable to put out a speedy broadcast with descriptions of the vehicle or the suspects because the incident was not reported until 17 hours after the attack.

“We have very little to go on,” he said.

Davis said the victims described the assailants’ vehicle as a gray Nissan pickup with chrome wheels, a tinted rear window, and ghost skull and red-hot chili pepper decals.

According to the victims, all of the suspects were about 19 years old. One had long blond hair, blue eyes and wore a red flannel shirt, black shorts and black boots; a second was described as about 5-foot-10, 150 to 160 pounds, with long brown curly hair and wearing black sweat pants, according to the police report. The third was described only as having brown hair.

Rusty Kennedy, director of the Orange County Human Relations Commission, attributed the attack partly to anti-Asian sentiment in the county due “to misplaced frustration and anger over economics.”

Coincidentally, a seminar on hate crimes and Japan-bashing is scheduled for Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon at the Pan Pacific Hotel in Anaheim. Lisa M. Kitsuta, a Newport Beach-based attorney, will be moderator.

Kitsuta said a panel including a police chief and a deputy district attorney will explain hate crimes and tell people what they can do about them. The event is sponsored by Japanese-American business and community organizations.