Wisconsin Family Seeks Hate Crime Investigation After Video Shows Black Teen Beaten
\PULASKI, WI — A disturbing video showing a 14-year-old Black teenager being beaten by multiple young men at a party in rural Wisconsin has prompted his family to demand a hate crime investigation. The incident took place on August 17 in the Town of Pulaski, about an hour west of Madison, and has since circulated widely on social media and news coverage.
Video Captures Violent Attack
The video, less than two minutes long, depicts the teen being pushed against farm equipment, wrestled to the ground, and struck repeatedly by several individuals. At least four attackers can be seen throwing punches, and at one point the boy is slammed onto the ground.
The audio captures the use of the N-word multiple times by someone off-camera. One voice is heard saying, “F— that n—- … he tried to steal guns, so I say f— him.” The assault ended only after a girl stepped in, pleading with the group to stop, according to reports of the footage.
Sheriff’s Office Response
Iowa County Sheriff Michael Peterson called the footage “disturbing” but said his office concluded the attack was not racially motivated. He pointed to witness interviews suggesting the fight stemmed from prior disputes and accusations rather than race.
One witness claimed the confrontation involved alleged theft, threats, and an attempted assault, and noted that several Black individuals — including the person recording — were present at the party, according to the sheriff’s investigation.
Family Disputes Findings
The boy’s mother strongly rejected the sheriff’s explanation, insisting her son was misidentified and wrongly accused.
“It’s still hard for me to even watch the video. I can’t stomach it,” she said in an interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Civil rights attorney B’Ivory LaMarr, representing the family, argued that the case meets the definition of a hate crime.
“When a Black teenager is targeted, beaten, and subjected to racial epithets — that is a hate crime,” LaMarr told the Journal Sentinel. He added, “Even if prior disputes existed, nothing justifies the brutal attack that was captured on video” (full statement).
Next Steps in the Case
The Iowa County District Attorney’s office said it is aware of the incident but has not yet received a criminal referral from law enforcement, meaning no charging decisions can be made at this time. The Wisconsin Department of Justice has also not publicly commented on whether it will investigate, according to local coverage.
LaMarr said he plans to file a complaint with the DOJ and push for charges under the state’s hate crime statute, warning that failing to act would “embolden perpetrators of hate.”
Do you believe this incident should be prosecuted as a hate crime, given the racial slurs heard in the video? How do you think local authorities should respond when community trust is at stake?