Photo: Moment RF
A family is seeking hate crime charges after a 14-year-old Black boy was violently beaten by a group of white teenagers during a barn party, per the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
The incident occurred on August 17 in Pulaski, a rural town in Wisconsin. Video shows the teen being pushed against farm equipment, slammed to the ground, and repeatedly beaten while someone behind the camera yelled, “F*** that n****a.” Another person can also be heard using the N-word during the attack.
Despite the slurs hurled in the video, the Iowa County Sheriff’s Office claimed the assault wasn't racially motivated. According to Sheriff Michael Peterson, the attack stemmed from an ongoing dispute over a prior assault, theft, and threats made. A Black witness who helped break up the fight wrote in a statement that he didn’t hear anyone at the party using racial slurs and that the fight stemmed from prior altercations. The sheriff’s office said multiple Black people who attended the party said the 14-year-old was targeted due to the alleged ongoing dispute.
The boy’s family and their attorney, B'Ivory LaMarr, slammed the sheriff's response to the incident.
“When a Black teenager is targeted, beaten, and subjected to racial epithets — that is a hate crime,” LaMarr said. “This case is about accountability, protecting children, and ensuring equal protection under the law.”
“Even if those claims were true, they do not excuse the brutal assault that followed. To minimize or dismiss the racial component in this case only deepens the harm and undermines public trust," he added.
Peterson noted that arrests are still possible in the case. Some of the attackers were minors, while others were over 18. The local District Attorney’s Office hasn't received a criminal referral. LaMarr said he plans to file a formal complaint with the state Department of Justice and demand hate crime charges against the attackers.
The victim’s mother said her son was invited to the party by friends.
“It’s still hard for me to even watch the video. I can’t stomach it,” she said.
Watch video of the incident here.
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