In a recent case that captured the attention of a Virginia community, a group of white teenagers was exonerated from accusations of a hate crime. The controversy began when Dr. Onwubiko Agozino, a black professor at Virginia Tech, reported feeling victimized by what he described as a racially charged incident outside his Christiansburg home.
According to a police report filed on February 10, Dr. Agozino alleged that a group of eight white minors targeted him with what he described as a deliberate act of racial intimidation. He claimed they arrived near his property, playing loud rap music filled with offensive language, while throwing ice blocks and directing racial slurs, including the N-word, towards him.
The incident quickly drew the attention of local activist organization New River Valley Indivisible, which condemned the youths’ actions. The group described it as a “calculated effort to terrorize and intimidate” Dr. Agozino and his family. In a statement released on Facebook the following day, they argued that the incident transcended mere disorderly conduct and should be recognized as a hate crime, calling it both illegal and deeply immoral.
“The actions of these individuals represent a direct assault on the safety, dignity, and civil rights of a member of our community,” the group asserted. “Such behavior is a stark reminder of the persistent and insidious nature of racism, and it has no place in a just and humane society.”
Despite these strong allegations, the narrative shifted as the local police conducted a thorough investigation. Their findings ultimately cleared the teens of any hate crime wrongdoing, casting doubt on the initial claims of a racially motivated attack.
But the so-called racist assault was quickly debunked after local police launched an investigation.
Cops discovered the teens were attending a house party nearby and were merely clearing snow and ice from their truck bed, according to the Christiansburg Police Department.
“There have been incorrect reports that this may have been a targeted incident toward a specific residence or person based on racial bias,” the department posted on Facebook Feb. 12.
“Our investigation has found no evidence of criminal intent or racial bias. At no time did any juveniles yell obscenities, or direct attention to any homes in the area while clearing the snow and ice.”
Still, the professor pushed back, questioning both the probe and whether intent should be a deciding factor.
“They investigated and identified the suspects,” Agozino said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
“They claimed that they had no bad intent and the police concluded that there was no evidence of hate crime. I reminded the police that intent is only one element of crime because reckless or unreasonable behavior that is threatening to anyone is considered a breach of the law even if there is no intent to harm anyone.”
He noted police stepped up patrols around his home “to prevent a repeat or escalation” – but cried wolf again, claiming the truck returned to his home and lingered by his mailbox for 20 minutes.
“I hope that the statement by the police that there is no evidence of a hate crime will not unwittingly embolden the suspects,” the college educator added.
Agozino did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
