Massachusetts police investigating possible good deed that turned into possible hate crime

NEWBURYPORT — City Marshal Mark Murray reports that the Newburyport Police Department is investigating an incident in which a man in a vehicle allegedly accosted a group of youths and shouted a racial expletive.

Newburyport Police responded to an outside of State Street on Thursday, to take a report of a verbal dispute. Officers were met by a woman who stated that a man had engaged in a dispute with a group of young teenagers before driving away in his vehicle. Over the course of their investigation, police were provided with cell phone video that shows part of the exchange.

The investigation indicates that a group of middle school-aged boys had purchased donut holes at a local store and were giving them out on State Street when the altercation took place.

A witness provided police with a complete license plate for the suspect’s vehicle. Police have identified the suspect, and the investigation is ongoing, and the Newburyport Police Department will consult with the Essex District Attorney’s Office on whether the incident meets the standard for a hate crime/bias-motivated crime.

“The Newburyport Police Department is actively investigating this incident, using all resources at our disposal,” Marshal Murray said. “We do not tolerate acts of racism or bias in our community, and we will pursue this investigation, wherever the facts take us.”