2 Simi Valley teens admit to hate crimes in parking lot brawl case, DA says

Two Simi Valley teens tied to a series of brawls outside of a local movie theater have admitted to hate crime charges, according to the Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko.

The two teens will be sentenced in mid-November for assault with a special enhancement of hate crime allegations. One of the teens also admitted his involvement in a criminal threat case surrounding a similar incident that happened in May, according to prosecutors. 

"Hate crimes spread fear, division and violence throughout an entire community," Nasarenko said when the teens were charged earlier this month. "Our office is committed to holding these youth accountable and ensuring that justice is delivered for the victims and our community."

In total, prosecutors charged five teens with the parking lot brawl that happened outside the Regal Plaza on Aug. 1. The remaining three teens have not admitted to the charges, the DA's office said. 

Investigators said two groups of teens, who had previous altercations in the past, were involved in the brawl. The Simi Valley Police Department added that several racial slurs were shouted during the brawl. Two of the teens sustained minor injuries, including a possible concussion, chipped tooth, cuts and abrasions.

The suspects were allegedly targeting 18-year-old Michael Robinson, a young Black man who was grabbing something to eat with his friends. 

"These are the appropriate charges for what I saw when I watched an innocent young African American boy be attacked, unprovoked by complete strangers, strictly on the basis of his race," said Jamal Tooson, the attorney for the Robinson family.