A group of Black teenagers were allegedly attacked and stabbed by a white mob in Arkansas.
According to Little Rock Public Radio, the mother of one of the victims said the teens were attacked on Saturday (January 6) night at Maly’s, an entertainment facility in Conway, Arkansas.
The mother said a group of adults who appeared to be intoxicated fought the teens, ranging from ages 13 to 16, soon after they arrived at Maly’s. She said she got a call from her son who told her he was stabbed in the face during the altercation.
“It was horrible and I don’t want anyone to experience this,” the mother said. “They wanted to go to the new arcade and have fun. They didn’t even get the chance to go inside. These people walked out the door and were harassing these kids.”
Videos circulating online appear to show intoxicated adults hurling racial slurs and physically attacking a group of mostly Black teens.
A victim’s mother said her son was taken to the hospital, where he received 12 stitches.
The Faulkner County NAACP held a community meeting on Monday (January 8) in response to the violent incident. LaTonya Chante Duncan, the Faulkner County NAACP President, called the altercation a “hate crime.”
“We have parents and children that will suffer for the rest of their lives because of this one-day incident,” Duncan said. “Hate crimes must not be permitted in Faulkner County. This was a hate crime, nothing less.”
According to a Conway Police report obtained by Little Rock Public Radio, 62-year-old Michael Kennedy and 52-year-old Chucky Hartwick are charged with 2nd-degree battery in connection to the incident. Kelli Kennedy was also taken into custody for public intoxication.
None of the offenses were defined as motivated by bias.
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