Arkansas NAACP Wants Hate Crime Charges for Three White Adults Who Incited a Racially Charged Brawl After Mocking Black Teen; Video Captures One Adult Screaming Racist Slurs
NAACP leaders want authorities to tack on a hate crime charge to the list of misdemeanors and felonies that three white people face for their roles in a massive brawl in Conway, Arkansas, that broke out after they reportedly mocked a Black teenager.
Authorities arrested 52-year-old Chucky Hartwick, 33-year-old Kelli Kennedy, and 62-year-old Michael Kennedy, who all face several charges including battery, aggravated assault, and disorderly conduct.
Three white adults were arrested for their role in a massive brawl that community members believe was racially motivated and resulted in a Black teenager suffering severe injuries to his face. (Photos: Facebook/Matrice Walk)
All three individuals reportedly instigated a fight on Jan. 6 outside a local entertainment center that authorities estimated up to 30 people joined.
The Faulkner County prosecutor’s office said moments before the fight, a group of adults started mocking a Black teenager who was outside with his hands tucked into his pants to keep warm.
Some teenagers came to the teen’s defense and, before long, someone started hurling racial slurs and the altercation escalated into a physical fight. One cell phone video shows a teenager backing away from a man who starts shoving the teen.
Several people were injured during the fight, but police records revealed that a 16-year-old Black teenager suffered severe lacerations to his lip that reportedly required 12 stitches.
A GoFundMe fundraiser has been set up on the teen’s behalf to help pay for legal and medical expenses as well as trauma counseling.
Several videos surfaced on social media showing the aftermath of the fight and the police response, including one video that showed one white man with a bloodied face and a white woman next to him screaming the N-word and other racist obscenities.
Local NAACP leaders and many members of the Conway community met with city leaders days after the fight to discuss the incident and the racial animosity surrounding it.
The Faulkner County NAACP sent a statement to Atlanta Black Star on Thursday saying they’re urging authorities to charge all three of the individuals who were arrested with a hate crime.
“The Faulkner County NAACP is working diligently and swiftly to make sure that these individuals are put behind bars and charged with felonies, and also a hate crime,” the statement reads. “At the Faulkner County NAACP, we are not going to stand down and allow anyone to hurt minors no matter their race, color, or religion. We are tired of the racist rants, and the way people stereotype our youth. The time has come for us to stand strong and stand together in solidarity and fight against racism. These people who are violent, malicious, and downright hateful do not belong in our community.”
Chucky Hartwick, Kelli Kennedy, and Michael Kennedy have all bonded out of jail and are due back in court in March.