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(Des Moines, Iowa) Two 19 year old girls have been arrested in the beating and stabbing of a 16 year old gay teenager. The pair, identified as Jassimen Dobbins and Angela Wade are charged with first-degree burglary and third-degree arson.
The Des Moines prosecutor's office says it is treating the attack on the 16 year old - who has not been named because he is a minor - as a hate crime and additional charges may be laid. The girls were apprehended following a brief foot chase on Friday. Police say that the victim was accosted on the street in December. He was hit over the head with a bottle and then stabbed with what is believed to have been a fork. The girls then allegedly stole $5 from him along with an ATM card and his driver's license before setting fire to a bag he was carrying. During the assault the girls yelled homophobic slurs at the victim. Police say the pair admitted knowing the youth was gay but investigators do not yet know how the girls knew the victim. Each of the girls is being held $42,250 bond. The attack highlighted the problem of teen bullying in the state. Last week the Iowa Senate passed an anti-bullying bill. The legislation goes to the House next week. The measure would cover students on the basis of race, disability and sexuality. It would require schools to report harassment incidents to the state and indicate what the school did in response. Gay rights groups have been pressing for enactment of the legislation for more than two years. Gov. Chet Culver has said he will sign the legislation if it reaches his desk. Source: 365gay.com |
