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A man was attacked and robbed in the Baylands Nature Preserve on Thursday afternoon by three men who reportedly yelled racial epithets and took his wallet, according to Palo Alto police.
The robbery took place at about noon on the Marsh Front trailhead in the nature preserve at 2775 Embarcadero Road, according to a Palo Alto Police Department news release. The trail is located just east of the Palo Alto Airport and passes the duck pond in the nature preserve.
The victim, a man in his 30s, was reportedly walking back toward his car about noon when he passed three males walking on the path. After he passed them, one of them reportedly punched him in the eye, grabbed him by the shirt and threw him to the ground, police said. The other two men then began punching him and yelling racial epithets directed at Black people. One of them men also took the man’s wallet from his pants pocket, according to the police.
After the attack, the three men ran away on the trail while the victim returned to his place of work and called the police, according to the news release. Police said the man suffered bruising, swelling and scratches to his face and received medical treatment from the Palo Alto Fire Department before he was released at the scene.
The victim described two of the three attackers at Hispanic males in their 20s, both about 5 feet 8 inches tall. One reportedly wore a black hoodie, black jeans and athletic shoes. The other wore a tan hoodie with lettering on the front and black jeans.
The third attacker was described as a man of an unknown race in his 20s with a black hoodie. He was also about 5 feet 8 inches in tall.
Police are investigating the attack as a possible hate crime and are asking anyone with information to call the department’s dispatch center at 650-329-2413 or to leave an anonymous tip by texting the keyword PAPD to 847411.
