Police In American Canyon California Charge 15 Year Old With Hate Crime Against Gay Couple

A Fresno, California teenager was arrested Saturday on suspicion of committing a hate crime against a gay couple, American Canyon police officials said, The Times-Herald reporting that the 15-year-old boy was booked into Napa County Juvenile Hall just before 8 p.m. for making criminal threats to the couple in front of the American Canyon Safeway store, apparently based on their sexual orientation, according to police. The teen and his juvenile brother allegedly began yelling slurs at a male couple who walked by them holding hands just before 6:00 pm., police said. The 15-year-old then allegedly followed the couple to the nearby Starbucks and continued to insult them, threaten them, and challenge them to fight. The victims called police and waited until officers arrived, officials said. The 15-year-old was arrested for making criminal threats and for interfering with someone's civil rights, both felonies.