Detroit mob attack on Steven Utash may have happened because of race issues, says prosecutor. Last week, Wednesday April 2, an angry mob beat Steven Utash in Detroit Michigan till he was near death. Now, authorities are saying that race is a factor to the Detroit mob attack.
54-year-old Steven Utash stopped in the middle of the road to help a boy he accidentally struck with his pickup truck. As he got out of the truck and near the boy, an angry group of people brutally beat him till he was in the brink of death. Police announced that Utash was attacked by nearly 12 people in the Detroit mob attack.
A week after the Detroit mob attack, on Thursday April 10, a 16-year-old boy was charged with hate crime or ethnic intimidation as a minor because he was included in the Detroit mob attack which nearly killed Utash. He is also charged with assault with intent to do great bodily harm. The teenage boy is just one of five people charged for the Detroit mob attack and will be facing an ethnic intimidation count.
Three of the 5 people charged for the Detroit mob attack were Bruce Edward Wimbush Jr., 17; Wonzey Saffold, 30; and James Deontae Davis, 24, all of whom were from Detroit. Police have arrested a fifth suspect Wednesday but they haven't provided further details yet.
The reason why the 5 people involved in the Detroit mob attack were to be charged for a hate crime, or assault with intent to murder and assault with intent to do great bodily harm - Steven Utash is white, while the teenager and other four adults are African American.
Kym Worthy, Wayne County's prosecutor said that "In the case of the 16-year-old charged as a juvenile we can prove beyond a reasonable doubt the crimes of assault with intent to do great bodily harm and ethnic intimidation. In the case of the four adult defendants that have been charged the facts and the evidence does not support a charge of ethnic intimidation."
Because of the Detroit mob attack, African American leaders, including Detroit's mayor and other concerned citizens have spoken out.
Meanwhile, a father of three from Roseville, Utash is still in the hospital as he remains unconscious and in critical condition.
Mayor Mike Duggan of Detroit have already personally met with the family to help plan a candlelight vigil for Utash. The vigil is set to happen at 7:00 p.m. Thursday at Little Rock Baptist Church, 9000 Woodward in Detroit.
Detroit mob attack victim Steven Utash's family members hopes to raise $50,000 for Utash's medical bills. More than $150,000 have already been made to the online funding site.
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