NEW ROCHELLE, NY — A thirteen year old student from Isaac E. Young Middle School was arrested over the weekend and charged with a hate crime by New Rochelle police following an assault earlier this month that injured a 59-year old female.
The student is a male Hispanic. The victim is White.
Captain Kevin Kealy of the New Rochelle Police Department explained the basis for the hate crime designation.
“While punching the victim, the youth uttered a racial epithet,” said Kealy.
The incident occurred shortly before 6 p.m. on February 6th, in the vicinity of Centre Avenue and Shea Place between the school and downtown New Rochelle.
The woman told police that while traveling in her vehicle she observed a group of youths throwing snowballs at vehicles. She said she stopped and rolled down window to speak to the youths when one of the youths opened the vehicle’s door and punched the victim.
The youth was charged with assault third degree as a hate crime, and menacing as a juvenile delinquent.
School officials cooperated with police to identify the suspect.
The student was ejected as a spectator at a basketball game from the gym at Isaac Young school just prior to the incident and was part of a group of students milling about on Center Avenue afterwards, sources say.
The case will be adjudicated in Westchester County Family court. All documents in the case are sealed by law.