Pittsburgh is dealing with an incident of hate after a group reportedly attacked a man walking in Oakland yesterday. Authorities responded around 2 a.m. to Semple and Ward streets, where the victim described being assaulted due to his Star of David necklace, with the attackers making disparaging remarks about Israel before punching and kicking him, leaving him with a bruised lip.
The details of the unsettling encounter were relayed to the Pittsburgh Police and, in turn, shared with the FBI Pittsburgh division, given the hateful undercurrent of the attack. The victim initially reported to the University of Pittsburgh Police since the incident unspooled just off campus, but the city's police handled the report. According to a statement on the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police official blotter, it took the intervention of a bystander to cease the assault and the investigation spearheaded by the Pittsburgh Police is fiercely active, engaging in efforts to identify those responsible.
Anyone with information about this crime is urged to contact Pittsburgh Police's Zone 4 at (412) 422-6520 or FBI Pittsburgh at (412) 432-4000 as authorities seek leads to bring justice.
