Local News

Gloucester police seek charges against 3 juveniles who allegedly attacked transgender teen

Authorities said the charging decision comes after a “thorough, months-long investigation."

November 29, 2024

1 minute to read

The Gloucester Police Department is seeking assault and battery charges against three juvenile males involved in an alleged assault of a transgender teenager, officials announced Friday.

Police announced the conclusion of the investigation into the assault, which occurred in late August, and filed applications for criminal complaints in Gloucester Juvenile Court.

The juveniles, two of whom are 17 and one of whom is 16, will attend a hearing where a clerk magistrate will determine whether there is probable cause for the charges to move forward, according to police.

Authorities said the charging decision comes after a “thorough, months-long investigation” conducted by Gloucester Police detectives, the Essex County District Attorney’s Office, and Massachusetts State Police.

On Aug. 30, police were called to the area of Dogtown Road and opened an investigation into an assault at a party in the woods where one juvenile male was taken to a local hospital to be treated for his injuries, according to the statement.

Police said they determined that all of the people involved in the incident knew one another.

According to the victim, the defendants were yelling slurs as they attacked him because he is transgender, NBC 10 Boston reported.

However, defense attorney Mark Randazza claims that the juveniles were defending themselves after the alleged victim threatened them with a knife, according to the news station.

Due to the hate crime allegations, Gloucester Police assigned a specially trained hate crime investigator to the case, the police department said.

However, police said that the evidence “did not ultimately support hate crime charges.”

“Our department conducted a meticulous, thorough, and compassionate investigation, and the resulting charges are consistent with the evidence,” Police Chief Edward Conley said in the statement. “Our thoughts remain with the victim, who suffered significant injuries in this attack.”