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Police share new details on Skokie hate crime
Skokie Police are sharing more details after a reported hate crime at Shawnee Park.
SKOKIE, Ill. - Police in suburban Skokie said an attack on a group of kids at a park earlier this month, in which they faced antisemitic language and one minor was hit by pellets from a toy gun, has been classified as a hate crime.
The attack took place on Oct. 7, around 6 p.m., at Shawnee Park in Skokie, where police responded to a report of a conflict involving two groups of youth, according to the Skokie Police Department.
What we know:
Police said the groups involved minors primarily between the ages of 13 and 15.
One of the groups reported that another group of kids used antisemitic language and chased them, and one discharged gel pellets from a "gel blaster" toy gun. The incident began at Shawnee Park and continued onto a nearby street, where one minor reported being hit in the leg by a gel pellet from the toy gun.
Police said they identified and spoke with all of the known youth involved in the incident, along with several adults who reported witnessing the attack. Investigators also identified who is alleged to have discharged the gel blaster toy gun.
There were also reports of an adult responding to the incident with a real gun, but investigators learned those were not credible.
The Village of Skokie alerted community members to the incident earlier this week.
"There is no place for hate in Skokie," said Mayor Ann Tennes in a statement. "Our community has long been built on respect, inclusion and care for one another. The Village remains committed to standing against antisemitism and all forms of bias, and to ensuring that Skokie continues to be a safe and welcoming place for everyone."
Police were limited in what information they could share about the individuals involved because they were minors. All "incidents of hate and bias" are documented and shared with the village’s Human Relations Commission.