A California man has been charged with felony assault, accused of shooting a black man renting a nearby Airbnb property as he walked to a grocery store, in what prosecutors called an ‘unprovoked attack’ .
Mark Waters, 66, has been charged with felony assault with a semi-automatic firearm resulting in grievous bodily harm and the personal use of a firearm, the Santa Clara County Attorney’s Office announced Friday, two months after the Oct. 2 shooting in San Jose.
More charges could arise as law enforcement investigates possible hate crime allegations.
The 21-year-old victim had left his Airbnb rental to walk to a nearby grocery store the night of the shooting, prosecutors said. He was unarmed.
When he crossed the street, he saw Waters coming out of a house and “quickly approaching him holding a black handgun,” the district attorney’s office said.
The victim tried to run to safety, but prosecutors alleged that Waters, who they described as white, fired a single shot with his back turned. As a result, the victim suffered “serious injuries” to the leg, they said.
The police provided first aid to the victim. Video of the shooting was also obtained from a close neighbor, prosecutors said.
Waters’ home was searched and several firearms were seized, prosecutors said. He was arrested and incarcerated in the county jail of Santa Clara and will be arraigned Monday in San Jose.
District Attorney Jeff Rosen condemned the shooting, saying, “Everyone should walk safely to the store.
“We will not tolerate such senseless and violent acts in this county. We wish the victim a speedy recovery and will ensure he receives justice for this brutal assault,” Rosen added.
NBC News asked the San Jose Police Department and an attorney listed for Waters for comment.
An Airbnb spokesperson said Monday: “We condemn this vicious and unprovoked attack.
“We thank the San Jose Police Department as well as the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office for their work in holding the perpetrator accountable and sending a message that hate crimes have no place in our company,” Airbnb’s statement said.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
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