Police In Asheville North Carolina Arrest 15 And 25 Year Old Males In Connection To Hate Crime Attack On Victim Perceived To Be Gay; Department Also Investigating Responding Officer Who Failed To File Incident Report

An update on a previous post, The Asheville Citizen-Times reporting that Asheville, North Carolina police plan to charge a second person in connection with an assault last week that investigators have labelled a hate crime. A 15-year-old West Asheville boy will be charged today with assault and damage to property for his role in the incident last Thursday, Asheville Police Lt. Wally Welch said this morning. The boy's name will not be available because he is a juvenile. Welch said investigators believe the juvenile pushed the male victim and caused his glasses to fall and break. The boy was with three older companions at the time of the alleged incident. Another of the group, a Weaverville man, faces a felony charge in connection with the case. Lamon Lewis Hopkins, 25, of Ivey Trails Road, was charged Tuesday with felony assault inflicting serious injury. Police said he punched the victim and fractured his face early Thursday morning in a parking lot. Police also said Tuesday the officer who originally responded to the incident is under investigation for not filing a police report on the matter. Police Lt. Wally Welch said he could not release the name of the officer, calling it a personnel matter. Welch said investigations of this nature “can take up to a month usually,” and that the officer in question is performing normal duties. “We'll let the investigation play out and see what happens,” Welch said. Two other men were involved in the incident, but they will not face charges, Welch said. “The one thing that is clear is that Mr. Hopkins is the one who struck him in the face and caused multiple facial fractures,” Welch said. Luke Hankins, the victim, said the teenager yelled homophobic slurs at him as he entered the store around 12:30 am Thursday. Police said when Hankins, who said he is not gay, exited the store, the teen confronted him again, with the other three suspects nearby, and as he made his way to his car, the group continued to harass him. Hopkins punched him, leaving him crumpled in the parking lot, the victim said. An Asheville officer responded to the scene but the four suspects had left. After going home and being unable to sleep, Hankins went to the emergency room, where he learned the extent of his injuries. Hankins went to the police station later Thursday to ask about the investigation and learned that the officer who responded did not file a report, Welch said. An anonymous tip helped police locate the suspect. Hopkins was released on a written promise to appear in court. Hankins said he was not happy that the suspect was released considering his criminal record. “I don't know why they made that decision,” Hankins said. Hopkins was convicted on burglary charges in 2009 and released from state prison January 10, according to state Department of Correction records.