No evidence to support hate crime charge in Ardrey Kell High assault, CMPD says
No hate crime charges will be brought against the 15-year-old who assaulted his Muslim classmate in Ardrey Kell High School in March, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said Wednesday.
The 15 year-old student, whose name has not been disclosed, said she was punched repeatedly in math class March 7 by a football player at the school after days of anti-Muslim bullying. The girl was later transported to the hospital for treatment for her injuries, including “multiple broken bones in her face, her jaw,” Jibril Hough, a leader and advocate with the Islamic Center of Charlotte, said at a news conference Mar. 12.
The family also alleged Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools did not handle the situation appropriately by not calling an ambulance promptly. However, CMS said Ardrey Kell High School followed its protocols correctly. The district said whether the incident qualifies as a hate crime was for law enforcement to decide.
CMPD said Wednesday there wasn’t enough evidence to support a criminal charge under North Carolina general statutes to charge the student.
The two statutes mentioned were N.C.G.S 14-3, “Punishment enhancements for crimes committed with ethnic animosity” and N.C.G.S. 14-401-14, “Ethnic Intimidation.” Each carry the possibility of a Class 1 misdemeanor charge.
The department previously said it referred the case to the FBI. But in its most recent update posted on X, CMPD said that local detectives on an FBI task force reviewed the case and made the determination.
CMPD also said there’s no separate investigation by the FBI into the incident.
“CMPD has confirmed that there is currently no active investigation by the FBI into this matter as there is no evidence to support that the crime occurred due to the victim’s religion, race or ethnicity,” the department said.
The parents of the student accused of assaulting his classmate told The Charlotte Observer Wednesday the victim’s family presented a “false narrative” that she was targeted for her culture or beliefs. They don’t condone violence but said their son has a right to defend himself.
The day of the assault, his parents said it was the female victim who made physical contact first.
“Our son basically had just learned to ignore her, and her consistent comments and repeated verbal taunting really didn’t phase him,” his mother said.
The family declined to elaborate on the types of comments directed at their son. They anticipate more information will come forward but did not give a timeline or have details on the channels through which information would be released.
The Observer has contacted Hough and the Islamic Center of Charlotte for a reaction to CMPD’s decision.
This story was originally published April 2, 2025 at 5:57 PM.
