A San Diego State University student, robbed in a campus parking structure, was targeted because she was wearing a hijab, according to police investigating the crime.
The young woman was in a stairwell in the Parking Lot #12 structure at 2:28 p.m. Wednesday when two men confronted her.
She told investigators the men, described as in their early 20s, made comments about President-elect Donald Trump and the Muslim community and then took her purse and backpack.
Investigators say the men took the woman’s car keys and ran off. She made it out of the area safely and contacted the police.
Her vehicle was missing from the parking garage.
“Comments made to the student indicate she was targeted because of her Muslim faith, including her wearing of a traditional garment and hijab,” SDSU police said in a written statement.
The first suspect was described as white, 5-feet, 9-inches to 5-feet, 10-inches tall, blond or brown hair and light colored eyes. He was wearing a white T-shirt and jeans. The second suspect was describe as Hispanic, 6-feet, 2-inches tall with a skinny build and dark hair, wearing a gray hoodie and dark pants.
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Trump proposed a "blanket ban" of Muslims entering the U.S. while campaigning for president in December. In June, Trump told NBC News his Muslim ban would apply "in particular [to] the terrorist states."
As of three days ago, Trump would not say whether or not he intends to ban people of Muslim faith from the U.S., according to NBC News. The president-elect said "extreme vetting" would apply to people from certain countries.
On Wednesday, the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), pledged to work with Trump and his administration as a way to strengthen the nation.
The California State Attorney General's Office reports "an uptick" in threats of hate crimes and other violent extremism. Attorney General Kamala Harris issued a bulletin reminding agencies of the resources available to help them identify and prosecutor hate crimes in their communities.
President Elliot Hirshman, Vice President Student Affairs Eric Rivera and Interim Chief of Police Josh Mays released a joint statement condemning the incident.
"Hate crimes are destructive to the spirit of our campus and we urge all members of our community to stand together in rejecting hate," the statement reads.
The San Diego chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) condemned the incident.
"We call on all San Diegans, Californians, and Americans to reject all forms of anti-Muslim bigotry, and to challenge speech and actions that single others out based solely on their religion or heritage," the organization said in a written release.
Anyone with information on the robbery in the parking garage can contact the SDSU Police Department at 619-594-1991. They have issued a bulletin warning students of the incident.
