Hanford man beaten with tire iron or crow bar in possible hate crime

HANFORD, Calif. (KFSN) -- Hanford police are investigating a possible hate crime after a man was beaten with a deadly weapon.

Police are looking for three men that they said beat a man in the middle of the night. The attack reportedly happened near Lincoln Street at 11th Avenue around 3:00 Tuesday morning.

Sgt. James Lutz with the Hanford Police Department said, "The victim was going out to his truck around 3 in the morning when he was contacted by two black male adults and one Hispanic male."

Sgt. Lutz said the men began using expletives about the victim's race and then attacked him with either a tire iron or a crow bar.

"They kicked and punched him multiple times," said Sgt. Lutz.

The victim told police the men then ran off. Officers were called while the victim was at Hanford Adventist Medical Center where he was being treated for head injuries and a broken elbow. Detectives are now working on leads to find the men who attacked him.

Sgt. Lutz added, "At this time it's being treated as an assault with a deadly weapon with possible hate crime ties to it as well."

The victim in this case had to have surgery to repair his elbow. We're told he is expected to be ok. Anyone with information in this case should call the Hanford Police Department.