Teens Accused of Racial Harassment and Assault at UC Irvine
UC Irvine Investigates Hate Crime Following Student Attack
The University of California, Irvine police department has launched an investigation into a reported hate crime involving a student who was spat on, struck by an electric bike, and subjected to racial slurs by a group of teenagers.
The incident occurred on February 27 at approximately 8:30 p.m. as the victim, a Black fourth-year student, was walking near the Arroyo Vista Housing complex. He was returning home from a cookout with members of the Black Student Union when he was confronted by five teenagers riding e-bikes.
Speaking anonymously due to safety concerns, the victim recounted the alarming encounter. “It was just a matter of trying to make it safely and make it back to my dorm, and it was awful,” he said. “It was horrible.”
He described the group as consisting of one girl and four boys. As one teenager began asking him questions about a sorority girl, the victim requested that they leave him alone, labeling the behavior as inappropriate. The conversation escalated, resulting in a racial slur being directed at him. “I didn’t respond to it. I said, ‘Please, leave me alone,’” he explained, before attempting to distance himself from the group.
As he moved away, they pursued him, getting close enough to spit at him and attempt physical intimidation. “They were calling me ‘monkey,’ ‘blackie,’ completely out of my name. Obviously, this is stuff I never expected to hear,” he said. The situation intensified when one of the attackers rode their e-bike into him, striking the back of his ankle. “It was the worst pain I had felt in a very long time,” he remarked.
Seeking safety, the victim took refuge in the Rosa Parks dormitory, where he called friends and reported the incident to police.
The UC Irvine Chief of Police confirmed that a hate crime investigation is active, following reports that "multiple juveniles on e-bikes used racial slurs, spat, and struck the reporting party’s back leg with the tire of an e-bike." One suspect has been detained.
The university has reiterated its commitment to maintaining a safe, inclusive, and respectful environment for all community members. According to police, one of the identified assailants is described as a 16 to 17-year-old boy, approximately 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighing between 160 to 170 pounds. He was wearing a white T-shirt, black pants, and a black helmet while riding a black e-bike. Another suspect was characterized as a 14-year-old boy, around 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighing about 190 pounds, and was dressed in a black shirt, denim gray pants, and white Nike Air Force 1 shoes.
Although the group fled before officers arrived, one teen was apprehended at the East Campus Parking Structure. Details regarding any potential charges against this individual have not yet been disclosed.
Eunique Sherow, president of the Black Student Union, emphasized the need for stronger action from the university and campus police. “We demand that these five juveniles be charged with assault and battery, and the one that clipped his ankle charged, and that they take more precautions to protect the Black students here on this campus,” Sherow stated.
Authorities are urging anyone with further information regarding the incident to contact UCI Police at 949-824-5223.
