Teens shout racial slurs, spit on student in hate crime at UC Irvine, police say
A group of teens chased, spat on and shouted racial slurs at a student during a hate crime at UC Irvine, according to university police.
The UC Irvine Police Department said the hate crime happened at the university's Arroyo Vista Housing complex on Feb. 27. UC Irvine's Black Student Union said five white teenagers on e-bikes chased a Black student around the housing area shortly after a community event. The Black Student Union said the teenagers falsely claimed the student spat on them before the on-campus pursuit.
During the on-campus pursuit, one of the teens rode his e-bike into the back of the student's leg, according to investigators.
"The situation escalated when one of the juveniles of the group attempted to ram the victim off the road," the Black Student Union said in a statement. "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 Black Student Union said the group of teens stopped chasing the victim after he ran into the Rosa Parks House and called the police.
Most of the teens left the area before UC Irvine PD arrived, but one officer detained a suspect at a nearby parking structure.
"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 wrote in a statement.
Investigators said they only have descriptions of two of the other suspects.
One is a 16-17-year-old boy who is 5-foot-8, weighs about 160-170 pounds, and was last seen wearing a white T-shirt, black pants, and a black helmet. The other suspect was described as a 14-year-old boy, who is 5-foot-9, weighs about 190 pounds, and was last seen wearing a black shirt, denim gray pants, white Air Force 1 Nike shoes, a black helmet and a blue backpack.
"The Black Student Union demands that the university and UCIPD take immediate and meaningful action to protect Black students and ensure their safety on this campus," the Black Student Union said in a statement. "Incidents like this cannot be tolerated, and they will continue to occur if the administration fails to respond with urgency and accountability."
