Police are investigating a possible hate crime incident on the UC Irvine campus in California after a black student was allegedly attacked by five white teens on e-bikes.
The alleged altercation occurred on Feb. 27 at the university’s Arroyo Vista Housing complex, according to the UC Irvine Police Department.
‘Since the incident, the victim has been placed on bed rest and has returned home because he no longer feels safe remaining on campus.’
The Black Student Union released a statement recounting the events of the alleged attack.
According to the statement, the white teens falsely claimed that the student spat on them after a school event and then chased after him on their e-bikes as he rode a scooter.
They allegedly shouted racial slurs against the student until one of them rode his e-bike into him.
“The situation escalated when one of the juveniles of the group attempted to ram the victim off the road,” reads the statement from the Black Student Union. “Using the front of his bike tire, he struck the back of the victim’s scooter and part of his leg. This resulted in torn skin, bruising, and an infection of the victim’s ankle.”
The teens let up the chase after the student ran into the Rosa Parks House and called police, the student union said.
“Since the incident, the victim has been placed on bed rest and has returned home because he no longer feels safe remaining on campus,” the group added.
The teens scattered after the incident, but an officer was able to detain a suspect at a parking structure. Police described one suspect as a teen between 16 and 17 years old and another who is 14 years old.
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The student union demanded that school officials take action to ensure the safety of black students on campus.
“Incidents like this cannot be tolerated, and they will continue to occur if the administration fails to respond with urgency and accountability,” it added.
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