Massachusetts man charged with hate crime after allegedly attempting to run over juveniles

HOLBROOK — Chief William Smith reports that the Holbrook Police Department arrested and charged a man with hate crimes and assault with a dangerous weapon, among other charges, following his alleged actions after a fight that occurred between two groups of juveniles over the weekend.

Working in conjunction with the Norfolk District Attorney’s Office, an arrest warrant was issued for 36-year-old Shane Belleville of Holbrook today. He was arrested at his home without incident this morning by Holbrook Police. Belleville was arraigned today at Quincy District Court and was released after posting $750 bail.

At approximately 1:15 p.m. on Saturday, April 10, Holbrook Police responded to the playground at Holbrook Middle Senior High School, 245 South Franklin Street, after a juvenile called and said that a man in a red pickup truck tried to run the caller and a group of friends over.

Through the subsequent investigation, including interviewing numerous witnesses and reviewing video surveillance footage, officers determined that the incident began as a verbal argument between two 7- and-8-year-old children, one Black and one white.

Other juveniles in the area, ranging in age from 9-15 years old, joined the confrontation. The incident escalated with racial epithets being used, and the altercation became physical, though no serious injuries were reported.

At one point, one of the juveniles called a relative and asked a man, later identified as Belleville, to come assist them.

By the time Belleville arrived, the fighting had stopped and the groups had separated.

A group of juveniles was walking down a paved path away from the school when Belleville allegedly drove his red Ford F-350 pickup truck onto the path and confronted the group of all Black children.

Belleville and the group of juveniles began yelling back and forth at one another. During the argument, a teenage girl allegedly spat on Belleville and Belleville responded by allegedly slapping her in the face, the investigation determined.

As the verbal altercation continued, Belleville allegedly got into his pickup truck and reversed toward the group of juveniles, allegedly yelling a racial epithet multiple times. The investigation shows that the juveniles had to quickly get out of the way to avoid being struck. Belleville then left the scene.

Belleville was charged with Assault and Battery, Civil Rights Violations (Four Counts), Assault with Intent to Intimidate Based on Race (Four Counts), and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon (Motor Vehicle) (Four Counts).

“I was extremely dismayed to learn the details of this incident, from the children being racially divisive toward each other to the abhorrent behavior and alleged hate crimes committed by the suspect in this case,” Chief Smith said. “This type of behavior has no place in our community and I am calling for our community members in Holbrook to come together to recognize the gravity of what took place in our town. We need to have real conversations with our children and with each other to avoid this type of situation from ever happening here again. I am committed to being part of the dialog.”