‘Hunting for Turks.’ Men get prison after ransacking Turkish restaurant in CA, feds say

Two men accused of being “driven by hate” in a 2020 attack on a Turkish restaurant in Southern California have been sentenced to prison, federal prosecutors reported.

William Stepanyan, 23, of Glendale,will serve 5 years in prison and Harutyun Harry Chalikyan, 24, of Tujunga, will serve 15 months in prison, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California said in a news release.

They pleaded guilty to conspiracy and committing a hate crime in October.

Stepanyan and Chalikyan attacked people inside Cafe Istanbul in Beverly Hills on Nov. 4, 2020, KABC reported.

The two men, who identify as Armenian Americans, were angry over rising tensions between Turkey and Armenia, prosecutors said.

In a text message before the attack, Stepanyan vowed to go “hunting for Turks,” the release said.

At the restaurant, the two men “stormed inside, threw hard wooden chairs at the victims, smashed glassware, destroyed a plexiglass barrier, and overturned tables,” the release said.

Prosecutors said one of the men asked people inside the restaurant “Are you Turkish?” and shouted “We came to kill you! We will kill you!”

Three people were hurt in the attack, the release said. Stepanyan also ripped out the restaurant’s computer terminals and stole an iPhone.

In all, the pair caused $20,000 worth of damage to Cafe Istanbul, prosecutors said.

“These defendants were driven by hate, and their actions were deplorable,” said United States Attorney Tracy L. Wilkison in the release. “The physical injuries and emotional trauma to the victims cannot be understated.”

This story was originally published March 8, 2022 at 11:00 AM with the headline "‘Hunting for Turks.’ Men get prison after ransacking Turkish restaurant in CA, feds say."