A man from Arlington, Virginia, was found guilty and sentenced Friday for a hate crime attack on two Latino construction workers back in 2019.
A judge sentenced Kurt Madsen, 53, to 540 days — nearly a year and a half — in jail, but suspended his term to time served as long as he completes two years of probation. Before his trial, Madsen spent 160 days in jail.
Madsen was convicted for an attack at a construction site near 7th Street and Massachusetts Avenue in Northwest D.C. on July 13, 2019.
According to a news release, evidence presented during the trail in D.C. Superior Court showed Madsen approached the two workers and asked if he could use their power washer.
When they refused, Madsen flew into a rage and started screaming “racist and xenophobic epithets” at the men.
He then picked up a scraper — a construction tool with a sharp blade at one end — and attacked them.
Madsen hit one victim on the back and tried to stab him in the stomach.
The other victim was hit several times in the face, leaving him with cuts and loose teeth.
The attack stopped when two bystanders intervened. One of them took the scraper from Madsen and waited for police to arrive, while the other called 911. Madsen was arrested at the scene.