Facebook/Lex Work A Syrian refugee girl was attacked in a Pennsylvania high school bathroom.
A video posted to Facebook shows the moment a 14-year-old Syrian refugee girl was attacked in a Pennsylvania high school bathroom by a girl who apparently wanted to vape inside the stall the victim was using.
The video, posted by Chartiers Valley High School senior Alexis Work, shows the Syrian girl confronted by another teen at the Bridgeville, Pennsylvania high school.
The girl who attacked the refugee is heard saying, “You’re lucky you’re from another language because I will crush you b***h.”
Pittsburgh’s WTAE reported that the Syrian girl was hospitalized after suffering a concussion in the attack.
Work told WTAE that the attacker was suspended from school and may be expelled.
Teen Attacked Syrian Refugee Girl Because She Wanted to Vape in the Stall, Student Says
“You’re lucky you’re from another language because I will crush you b***h,” the girl is heard telling the Syrian refugee before pushing her backward in the stall and throwing punches.
“I’m not punching you, you punched me first,” the victim shouted as she tried to fight back.
The attacker is seen pummeling the Syrian girl as the victim screams “leave me alone.”
The video ends when the person who recorded the video walks out of the bathroom.
Work said she was not there but obtained the video from a witness and posted it online.
Work told WTAE that the victim “left in an ambulance” and the attacker has been “suspended from school until Thursday and has a court hearing on Thursday, in which the school is going to attempt to expel her.”
Police Considering Whether Attack Was a ‘Hate Crime’
The Chartiers Valley School District said it will enforce the maximum discipline possible in the attack.
“Chartiers Valley School District is appalled and disturbed by the incident which occurred last Friday, December 14, 2018 involving high school students,” the district said in a statement. “The District does not condone or tolerate violence of any kind, and in cooperation with law enforcement, is taking swift action for the safety and security of our students. Consequences will be enforced to the fullest extent, according to District policy and the Law. The Chartiers Valley School District considers matters of student safety and security to be of utmost importance and strives to provide a safe and welcoming learning environment for all students and staff.”
Collier Township police said they are determining whether criminal charges will be filed and did not rule out charging the incident as a hate crime, WTAE reported.
The Council of American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) called for a state and federal investigation into the attack.
CAIR President Safdar Khwaja said the girl suffered a concussion in the attack and was hospitalized overnight. Khwaja added that the victim had moved to the United States with her family a few years ago after spending two years in a refugee camp.
“They were fleeing anarchy, violence, and the complete breakdown of the social system, governing system so they came to a civilized place and we all assured them this is the most civilized place in the world. To see this kind of violence take place, it’s very disappointing,” Khwaja told WTAE.
“We don’t believe the motive was random and was at the spur of the moment, we believe there was a bias,” Khwaja added.
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