Police in Norfolk, Va., are investigating whether an alleged attack against a 13-year-old boy that witnesses caught on tape Saturday was racially motivated, WAVY-TV reported Monday.
The tape shows the victim, Damien O'Rourke, who is white, being violently beaten by a group of African American teenagers. According to the report, Damien and his mother, Reesha Price, said the fight was unprovoked and believe Damien was attacked because he is white.
Damien said he was attacked while going to meet friends to play football. Price told WAVY-TV that she found her badly beaten son just blocks from her home after receiving a phone call alerting her to the attack Saturday afternoon.
The family had just recently moved to the Norfolk area, WAVY-TV reported. Damien said one of his alleged attackers was among a group of students at his school that mistreated him because he was the new kid. Price told WAVY-TV that she now fears her son is being targeted because of his race.
Norfolk police reportedly told WAVY-TV that their gang unit will be investigating the case.
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