Cops: Teens at NJ homecoming game used racial slurs, peed on victim

LAWRENCE (Mercer)— Two 17-year-old boys were charged with bias intimidation and harassment in connection with what police said was a "racially derogatory" incident during a homecoming football game on Friday night.

A Facebook post by a Lawrence Township parent, Sakeenah Iman shared by Trenton City Councilman Jerell Blakeley said that "upperclassmen targeted all of the younger blacks kids" with taunts that included use of the "n" word and "screaming in their faces we don't like black people" at Lawrence High School during their game with Steinert High School of Hamilton.

Iman also said in the same post that one of the male teenagers urinated on a black eigth-grade girl.

Lawrence Mayor Christopher Bobbitt wrote on his own Facebook page that police opened an investigation into the incident, and said serious issues deserve respect by allowing for time to gather facts in order to guide an "appropriate response."

"As I have said publicly before, hate has no home in Lawrence Township. As someone that has felt its sting, I know that bigotry exists and sadly will continue to exist but that doesn’t mean that I give up," Bobbitt wrote. He also cautioned against

Lawrence Township Police on Saturday night announced the arrest of the two boys from Lawrence on charges harassment, bias intimidation and lewdness. The identities of the pair were not disclosed.

On the department Facebook page, police said the investigation includes the report that someone urinated on one of the victims, while using a racial slur.

Prior to the announcement about the arrests, superintendent Dr. Ross Kasun in a message on the district Facebook page warned about "misinformation" being spread about the case including the involvement of students from outside Lawrence.

"Rumors and misinformation, such as students from another district being involved, are hindering the investigation process. In partnership with the police department, we need to be able to do our work to get to facts of the matter," Kasun wrote.

Police said the incident remained under investigation and asked anyone with information about the incident to call 609-896-1111.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ

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