PALMDALE, Calif (KTLA) -- Seven black teenagers are accused of assault and hate crime allegations after allegedly attacking a Latino youth as he walked home from school.
It happened around 4 p.m. March 14 near Cactus Middle School in the 3200 block of East Avenue R-8.
According to investigators, the 15-year old victim was approached by a group of up to 10 male black teenagers who challenged him to a fight, said
"The suspects surrounded the victim and began punching him while several other juveniles watched," according to Deputy Robbie Royster of the L.A. Co. Sheriff's Dept.
The victim reportedly fell to the ground while trying to defend himself and the suspects allegedly continued to beat him "by punching and kicking him in the face and head," Royster said.
The victim was eventually able to get away, but was later hospitalized for multiple head wounds.
Detectives were able to identify the alleged attackers from a video of the assault, which was posted online.
The suspects range in age from 13 to 16 years old and currently face charges of "assault with force likely to cause great bodily injury and committing a hate crime," Royster said.
Updated: 03/29/2012 06:51:05 AM PDT
LOS ANGELES - A 19-year-old Latino who allegedly pointed a shotgun and directed racial epithets at three blacks in Glassell Park has been charged with assault with a deadly weapon, making terrorist threats and hate crime enhancements, police said Wednesday.
Ivan Alquicira, a suspected gang member, allegedly accosted the three victims -- a black man and woman and her adolescent son -- around 6 p.m. Monday in the 3100 block of Estara Avenue, near Fletcher Drive, said Los Angeles Police Department Officer Karen Rayner.
Alquicira was on a balcony when he shouted racial epithets and derogatory comments at the victims, pointed a shotgun at them and then chased them when they ran from the scene in fear, Rayner said.
Responding officers from the LAPD's Northeast Station surrounded his apartment complex after Alquicera went back inside and refused to come out.
Alquicira surrendered around 7:30 p.m. and police recovered a shotgun, an additional weapon and ammunition, according to Rayner.
Alquicira was arrested and booked for assault with a deadly weapon with a firearm and is being held on $540,000 bail, police said.
Alquicira was charged on Tuesday with three counts of assault with a deadly weapon with a firearm, two counts of making terrorist threats and enhancements for hate crimes, gang involvement and firearms possession.