A 15-year-old in Louisiana was charged with a hate crime this week after he was caught on video throwing cotton at a Black classmate and whipping him with a belt, authorities said.
The unidentified ninth-grade student at Vandebilt Catholic High School was arrested for simple battery and a hate crime, the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office said. He was taken to a juvenile justice center.
In footage of the attack obtained by WWL-TV, the white male student can be seen walking over to a Black classmate sitting at a crowded cafeteria table. The white student then begins to throw a handful of cotton balls at the Black student, before repeatedly whipping the Black student with a belt.
Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office said on Facebook that the incident appeared to be racially motivated, and took place during school hours.
Authorities had become aware of the situation after it was brought to their attention that video footage of the attack was quickly circulating online.
A family friend of the victim and alumnus of the school PJ Allridge told WWL-TV the victim was one of few non-white students at the school.
‘We can’t sweep this under the rug,’ he said.
The statement from the sheriff’s office added that the victim’s parents met with detectives as part of the ongoing investigation.
‘The parents of the victim also met with the school’s administration and they are diligently assisting the parents with addressing this non-acceptable episode,’ the statement said.
Hundreds of people commented on the department’s post, applauding the arrest and sending well wishes to the victim.
The victim’s family shared a statement with WWLT, and said they hoped the horrific incident would be a learning lesson for others.
‘We will continue to pray for our school community as a whole, that we not only get through this together, but that we each learn a valuable lesson from what has taken place,’ the victim’s family said in a statement.
The ACLU of Louisiana called the incident ‘inexcusable.’
The private school in Houma, Louisiana requires potential students to interview before they are accepted to study there. The school mainly serves Catholic students of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux and is the only Catholic school located in the region.
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