A man has been arrested in Northeast Washington, DC, in connection with an alleged hate/bias assault on New Year's Day. The Metropolitan Police Department reports that 44-year-old Shawn Radford was charged with Simple Assault and Threats to Do Bodily Harm following an incident on the 800 block of H Street, Northeast.
According to the Metropolitan Police Department, officers were called to the scene at approximately 11:25 p.m. on Wednesday. Radford is alleged to have asked the victim for a cigarette and upon being told none, he reportedly began hurling racial slurs and subsequently assaulted the victim. After leaving the scene, officers responding to the call managed to arrest Radford.
The investigation into whether this incident was indeed motivated by hate or bias is ongoing. According to the MPD statement, the hate crime designation is subject to change as more information becomes available. It's noted that the classification by the police does not guarantee the prosecution of the case as a hate crime, as that decision ultimately lies with prosecutors.
The Special Liaison Branch is assisting the First District detectives with their investigation. In a city that has seen a rise in hate crimes in recent years, any such assault charges tend to draw particular concern from community leaders and advocacy groups. The police have not disclosed any further details about the victim or potential witnesses to the incident at this time.
