Photo: Getty Images
Two of three Black teenagers accused of assaulting a white woman and making "anti-white statements" have been charged with hate crimes, according to the New York Police Department.
Earlier this month, the three girls allegedly got into a "verbal dispute" with a 57-year-old white woman that led to a physical attack while on a bus in Queens, New York.
According to WCBS-TV, one of the Black teens yelled during the incident, "I hate White people. I hate the way they talk."
The woman was hit on the head with an unknown object and had to be treated at a local hospital due to the bleeding and laceration she sustained from the assault, per an NYPD statement.
Three teenagers ran away after the incident.
NYPD released a photo of the suspects wanted in connection with the assault, which included the 15-year-old and 16-year-old who have been arrested and charged with hate crimes. The third suspect is still at large.
According to the Department of Justice, hate crimes are defined as crimes motivated by bias on the basis of race, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or disability.
The "crime" aspect usually refers to an assault or murder but can include property damage, threats to commit the crime, or even conspiring to commit the crime, CNN reports.
The Queens District Attorney's Office will ultimately decide whether the teens will face hate crime charges.
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