Palo Alto Man Charged With Hate Crime, Assault

PALO ALTO, CA — Police arrested a Palo Alto man last week after they said he hurled "homophobic epithets" toward several men, slammed a woman to the ground and beat a police K9.

Alexander Joseph Furrier, 26, has been charged with battery, a hate crime, assault on a police dog and resisting arrest.

According to Palo Alto police, on Sunday, Oct. 10, Furrier and a woman had been at a downtown bar and then a house party with a group of mutual friends. The woman eventually with two men, both of whom she identified as gay.

Police said Furrier followed the three on foot and continually called the two men homophobic epithets. When they got to University Avenue at Waverley Street, the men parted ways from the woman. They said Furrier stayed with her despite her telling him to leave her alone.

One of the men returned to come to the woman’s aid and asked if she needed help, according to Palo Alto police. When she replied that she did, the man confronted Furrier and asked him to leave the woman alone.

Police said Furrier then attacked the man, punching him several times while continuing to direct homophobic epithets at him. The suspect then picked up the woman and threw her to the ground when she tried to intervene.

When police arrived on scene, they said Furrier fled on foot.

Officers said they chased Furrier on foot to the 400 block of Everett Avenue, where they found him hiding on a second-floor stairwell of an apartment complex. Officers, including one who is also a member of the Department’s Crisis Negotiation Team, attempted to negotiate with him to come downstairs and surrender.

Police said Furrier did not comply and then refused to obey multiple arrest commands, even after being warned a police canine could be used to arrest him.

Police used the canine to help them take Furrier into custody. According to officer, he kicked the police dog repeatedly in the head and attempted to choke the dog between his legs until the officers were able to get him safely handcuffed and in custody.

Furrier was booked into the Santa Clara County Jail.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the Palo Alto Police Department's 24-hour dispatch center at 650-329-2413 . Anonymous tips can be e-mailed to paloalto@tipnow.org or sent via text message or voicemail to 650-383-8984.