Teens Targeted Victim in Fatal Robbery Because He Was Hispanic: Police

Three teens who killed a man during a robbery in Jupiter targeted him because he was Hispanic, police said.

Jesse Harris, 18, and David M. Harris and Austin L. Taggart, both 19, were arrested in the April 18 death of 18-year-old Onesimo Marcelino Lopez-Ramos, WPTV reported.

All three were arrested Friday on murder and robbery charges and were being held without bond Monday. It was unknown if they have attorneys.

Jupiter Police said Lopez-Ramos was found unresponsive on the ground after being struck with a blunt object.

"We have a premeditated crime and you are targeting your victim based on ethnicity in this case and other factors down the road...but in this particular case they specifically targeted the Hispanic community," Jupiter Police Chief Frank J. Kitzerow said.

The suspects haven't been charged with a hate crime but it will be up to the Palm Beach County State Attorney to decide to add hate crime charges.

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