2 men charged with hate crimes for allegedly shouting anti-gay slurs while attacking San Jose State student

Caelyn Pender, The Mercury News on Sep 23, 2026

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SAN JOSE, Calif. — Two men were charged with hate crimes for allegedly shouting anti-gay slurs while attacking a San Jose State University student on campus last week, prosecutors said.

Josue Medina Flores, a 19-year-old resident of Sunnyvale, and Christian Gabriel Nunez Petty, a 20-year-old resident of Fremont, were each charged with felony assault with hate crime allegations, according to a news release from the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office.

“If you hurt someone because of their race, religion, gender, or sexuality, you will be arrested and prosecuted,” District Attorney Jeff Rosen said in the news release. “Tolerance and diversity are cherished values in this community. We back up them with one voice – and the full might of the law.”

The charges stem from an alleged attack that occurred around 3:44 a.m. on Saturday, prosecutors said. As the victim walked past the two defendants with two female friends on SJSU’s campus, they asked him if he was gay and began to shout anti-gay slurs. The victim’s group ignored the slurs and continued on their way.

Flores and Nunez Petty then approached and attacked the victim, prosecutors said. During the attack, they allegedly punched the victim in the head more than two dozen times and kicked him.

One of the victim’s friends attempted to shield him from the attack and was hit as well, prosecutors added.

San Jose State University Police arrested Flores and Nunez Petty as they attempted to flee campus, prosecutors said. The incident was also caught on the university’s security cameras.

The victim was treated for his injuries at a hospital and later released.

Flores and Nunez Petty were set to be arraigned at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday at the Hall of Justice. If convicted on the charges, they could face time in prison.

This marks the 14th hate crime charge filed by the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office this year.

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