Moline Hate Crime: Four Teens Accused Of Attack On Black Youths

Four Hispanic teenagers were charged with a hate crime Thursday, after allegedly attacking two black teens in Moline, Ill.

Moline police were called about 9:30 p.m. Wednesday after a large group of men were spotted "beating up on a black kid" with baseball bats, bricks, sticks and large pieces of wood near the 100 block of Fourth Avenue. When officers arrived, they found the victims, a 19-year-old male and a 17-year-old female, surrounded by a number of individuals who had come out of their homes, witnessed the attack and chased away the attackers. Police, told the Quad-City Times, that the teens were yelling racial slurs and stole property from the victims.

At this point, police are unsure of how many attackers there were, but thus far four -- Alberto Alba, 18; Alejandro Gonzalez, Jr., 18; Alfredo R. Gutierrez, 17; and Alberto Rosas, 17 -- have faced felony charges of aggravated battery, robbery, hate crime and mob action from the Rock Island County Circuit Court. Their bonds were set at $50,000 each, WQAD reports, while police interviews with witnesses continue.

Anyone with further information pertaining to the attack is encouraged to contact Moline police at (309) 797-0424.