Prosecutors allege a San Jose State University student and a friend were assaulted on the university’s downtown campus on Sept. 19 after the student was asked if he was gay. Campus police arrested two suspects before they could leave the area.
Prosecutors charged Josue Medina Flores, a 19-year-old Sunnyvale resident, and Christian Gabriel Nunez Petty, a 20-year-old Fremont resident, with hate crimes, according to KRON4. The station reports that the student was walking with two female friends when Flores and Petty asked whether he was gay and yelled anti-gay slurs. The group initially tried to ignore them.
Prosecutors Describe the Assault
According to the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office, Flores and Petty punched the student in the head more than two dozen times and kicked him. KRON4 reports that when one of his friends stepped in to shield him, the two defendants attacked her as well.
The assault was captured on the university’s security cameras, according to KRON4. The student was treated at a hospital and released.
Charges and Local Filing Context
Flores and Petty are scheduled to face felony charges at an arraignment Wednesday at the Hall of Justice in San Jose. KRON4 reports they could face prison time if convicted. The station also reports that the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office has filed 14 hate-crime cases in 2026.
District Attorney Jeff Rosen described tolerance and diversity as cherished community values, according to KRON4. He said people who hurt someone because of race, religion, gender or sexuality will be arrested and prosecuted.
What the State and Campus Records Show
California Department of Justice data show that reported anti-LGBTQ+ bias events statewide rose from 151 in 2023 to 172 in 2024. The department cautions that reporting limitations affect comparisons. In 2024, 818 hate crimes were referred for prosecution statewide; 506 cases were filed, 327 as hate crimes and 179 as non-bias-motivated crimes. These are filings, not convictions, and the statewide figures do not establish a Santa Clara County total or verify the county office’s 2026 count. The data are from the California Department of Justice’s Hate Crime in California 2024 report.
SJSU’s 2026 Annual Security Report lists Clery crime statistics for 2023-2025, so that period does not cover the alleged 2026 assault. The university says its Bias Incident Resource Team reviews submitted reports and may contact the reporting person for more information; the university pages do not indicate whether anyone reported this case. See SJSU’s 2026 Annual Security Report and Bias Incident Resource Team information.
