Milwaukee Acid Attack: Group Wants Suspect Charged In Hate Crime

MILWAUKEE, WI — Days after a Hispanic man was attacked by a man who threw battery acid at his face, a leading Latino civil rights organization is urging Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm to consider the incident a hate crime, and issue charges accordingly.

The League of United Latin American Citizens President Domingo Garcia and Wisconsin State Director Lupe Martinez issued a joint statement Tuesday, expressing concern that the attack on Mahud Villalaz was yet another example of violence against members of the Latino population in the U.S.

"LULAC Wisconsin is outraged over the racially motivated attack on a member of our Latino community on Milwaukee's Southside. Our concern and prayers to Mahud Villalaz, his family and the entire state over the alleged anti-immigrant verbal attack followed by a physical attack of being sprayed with acid in the face,” said LULAC Wisconsin State Director Lupe Martinez. “Latinos everywhere are under attack. Hate crimes, like the one against Villalaz, must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. We urge Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm to file hate crime charges against the suspect in this case."

Acid Attack Was Racially Charged, Victim Says

During a press conference on Sunday, Villalaz, 42, said he had parked his car near the Chef Paz restaurant Friday in Downtown Milwaukee when he was approached by a man who started to shout at him over where he parked his car. Seeing the man's frustration, Villalaz said he moved his car down the street to prevent another confrontation, but it did not work.

Villalaz, who is Hispanic, said he originally ignored the man as he was walking toward the restaurant, but a confrontation quickly escalated.

How to Help

"Help my Brother Mahud victim of another hate crime." The family of Mahud Villalaz is raising money to help with medical expenses incurred during the treatment of an acid attack. As of Monday morning, 946 donors have raised nearly $39,000 in funds through the GoFundMe campaign established to help Villalaz cover the expenses related to the attack.

According to his sister Priscilla Villalaz, who set up a GoFundMe account to help cover medical expenses as a result of the acid attack, the man went up to Villalaz, and began to shout racially-charged statements at him. "

During a press conference held Sunday, Villalaz said he responded to the man, saying, "people come here from other countries for a better life. The only people who have been here longer than anyone else are the Native Americans."

Villalaz' sister said the man pulled a bottle out of a bag and threw acid at his face. Villalaz said the acid started to burn his skin "really bad." He screamed for help, and ran into the restaurant to wash his face.

The damage was done. According to reports, Villalaz suffered second-degree burns on the left side of his face.

Police in Milwaukee say they've arrested the suspect, a 61-year-old man. They have not publicly identified him yet. The man is in custody at the Milwaukee County Jail and is awaiting formal charging in court.

Milwaukee Alderman Jose Perez said in a statement that he expects the suspect to be charged with a hate crime.

“This was senseless violence and it needs to stop. We as a community need to come together to work through our differences and learn to respect one another and diffuse (sic) conflict,” Perez said in a statement. “We as a community are encouraged that police are investigating this attack as a hate crime and have been ensured that all hate crime enhancers are added to the charges.”

The League of United Latin American Citizens President Domingo Garcia says his organization has seen a dangerous increase in anti-Latino violence. "This violence against our communities is stoked by aggressive language and dangerous rhetoric from politicians and public servants who inspire people around the country to target anyone who looks Latino. We are labeled outsiders who don’t belong in the United States. The ‘immigrant invasion’ rhetoric we hear every day leads to murders and violence and it must stop now," he said.

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