A BLACK Palm Bay teenager could be charged with a hate crime after being accused of attacking a white man because he was listening to rap music.
Joshuah Lamb, 14, allegedly punched 22-year-old David McKnight because he did not think white people should listen to that type of music, Florida police were quoted as saying on WFTV.com.
Mr McKnight had been on the sidewalk listening to Wasted by Gucci Mane on a stereo before the incident.
“The argument involved the black male suspect saying, ‘You shouldn't be listening to rap music because you're white.’" Palm Bay police spokeswoman Yvonne Martinez said.
"The victim said he can listen to whatever type of music he wanted to and then the fist fight was on.”
Mr McKnight said he did not fight back.
“I couldn't get away fast enough, let’s just put it that way. Then one of them spit on me, punched me, knocked me down, got a couple of kicks in from a couple of them,” he said.
Mr Lamb was reportedly with seven friends at the time.
“I told him to drop it. I was like, ‘Just drop it, let's go, there is eight of you and one of me. Just drop it.’ And he says, ‘I'm not dropping anything.’ Bam! Punched me,” Mr McKnight said.
“I feel it's a racial thing really,” he added.
Mr McKnight suffered a broken toe, concussion, a swollen eye and strangulation marks around his neck.
Officers later arrested Mr Lamb on battery charges and he was now being held in a juvenile detention centre.
State prosecutors were now deciding if he would be charged with a hate crime.
Herald Sun
