HOLBROOK, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — A Holbrook man was arrested and charged with hate crimes Thursday after allegedly assaulting Black children over the weekend.
The incident happened on Saturday, April 10 when 36-year-old Shane Belleville, of Holbrook, allegedly tried to run over a group of children with a red pickup truck.
According the police, a 7-year-old and an 8-year-old child — one Black and one white — had gotten into a verbal argument at the Holbrook Middle Senior High School playground.
At some point more children become involved. The confrontation became physical after racial epithets were used. However, there were no serious injuries.
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Police said a child related to Belleville called him for help. When he got to the scene, the fighting had ended. It was then that Belleville allegedly drove his pickup truck onto the path and confronted the group of Black children.
Belleville is accused of slapping a teenage girl in the face after she allegedly spat on him.
As a verbal argument continued, Belleville allegedly got into his pickup truck and reversed toward the group of children while yelling a racial slur multiple times. Police said the children had to quickly get out of the way to avoid being hit.
Belleville is now facing multiple assault and hate crime charges. He was arraigned in Quincy District Court on Thursday and was released after posting a $750 bail.
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