Bridgeport Youth Charged With Hate Crime

By Andrew Gorosko

Police have charged a 15-year-old black Bridgeport youth with conspiracy to commit a racially motivated deprivation of rights, plus five other crimes, in connection with a June incident in which a 19-year-old Asian Westport youth was assaulted at an unauthorized nighttime beer party that had run amok at the Fairfield County Fish and Game Club.

Police said they served a warrant September 1 against the unidentified black youth charging him with conspiracy to commit deprivation of rights based on race, second-degree robbery, third-degree assault, first-degree criminal mischief, sixth-degree larceny, and possession of drug paraphernalia. The state rights deprivation statute is commonly known as the hate crime law.

The 15-year-old has been placed in a state detention center, police said. Police withheld his identity because he is under age 16.

Detective Sergeant Henry Stormer, who heads the investigation into the case, said the incident occurred following a long beer party which was unlawfully held at the club’s grounds off Hammertown Road. About 30 to 40 black and white youths from their mid-teens to late teens attended the party, he said. The youths attending were from Bridgeport, Stratford, Shelton, Milford, and Westport, according to police.

About six people assaulted the unidentified Asian youth, Sgt Stormer said.

During the beer party, the assaulted Asian youth was robbed of money; about $15,000 worth of vandalism was done to his 1997 Honda Accord, thus destroying the auto; and about $3,400 worth of damage was done to the clubhouse on the fish and game club’s grounds, police said.

The police investigation into the incident indicates that the Asian youth did nothing to warrant being beaten and that he did not provoke the situation, Sgt Stormer said. His attackers made numerous racial slurs during the assault, the sergeant said.

Police characterized the situation as “a keg party that got out of control.” Police received a telephone call at 3:17 am June 25 from the victim alerting them of a fight in progress, Sgt Stormer said.

Police said that the Asian youth and another unidentified male were treated at St Vincent’s Hospital in Bridgeport for injuries stemming from the assault and released.

In breaking up the party in June, police charged a dozen youths with simple trespassing for being on the club’s property.

At that time, the police charged Michael Hornbook, 17, of Stratford and also the 15-year-old youth, each with third-degree assault and simple trespassing in connection with the incident.

Police said arrest warrants are being sought for several other persons.