A black man from Fontana is facing an attempted-murder charge and hate-crime allegations after he allegedly used a baseball bat to beat a 54-year-old white father, according to Rialto police.

Jeremiah Bell, 22, of Fontana did not know Armando Barron, and it “appears he was targeting anyone who wasn’t black,” said police Sgt. Paul Stella.

Barron on Wednesday was in extremely critical condition at an undisclosed hospital, authorities said. He was comatose with a significant brain injury, according to a criminal complaint.

The District Attorney’s Office charged Bell on Wednesday with attempted murder with hate crime enhancements, authorities said.

The beating happened before the protests and rioting in Baltimore, and it’s unclear why Bell allegedly was targeting non-blacks.

The attack took place around 2:30 p.m. Sunday in the 300 block of North Maple Avenue.

Barron was pushing a shopping cart and appeared to have been collecting recyclables when Bell reportedly began striking Barron in the head with the bat. Bell fled before officers arrived.

After an investigation, Bell was found Monday in his Fontana apartment and taken into custody.

If Barron dies, Bell could be facing murder charges.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to cover Barron’s medical costs.

Anyone with information is asked to call Rialto police Detective David Padilla at 909-421-7227.