Suspect in hate-crime assault near Ohio State campus pleads guilty

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A man accused of a crime against students at the Ohio State University pleaded guilty to violating the Hate Crimes Prevention Act.

According to the United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Ohio, Timur Mamatov, of Tipp City, Ohio, admitted to violating the Hate Crimes Prevention Act after he physically assaulted two students for their religion, causing injury on Nov. 10, 2023.

Court documents state that Mamatov and a friend engaged in an altercation with five students outside of a bar on North High Street near Ohio State’s campus. Mamatov asked one of the students, who was wearing a “Chai” pendant around his neck, if he was Jewish and punched him after he confirmed his heritage.

A second victim suffered a fractured nose as the fight poured into the street. For a previous report on this story view the video player above.

Mamatov, 20, was charged by bill of information on July 3 and a plea was agreed to that same day. Violating the Hate Crimes Prevention Act, a federal crime, is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, though a sentencing date has yet to be scheduled.

The incident was the second alleged hate crime that day and occurred just blocks away from the Hillel Wexner Jewish Student Center, where vandalism was caught on camera at about 1 p.m. Police said two women entered the center and asked to look around, which they were allowed to do. One of the women went into a room and began taking Israeli flags.

When confronted, she ran out, yelling an obscenity and, “You support genocide. Free Palestine.” She then dropped the flags, and then she and the other woman got into a car being driven by a man and left.