DEARBORN — Police are investigating an alleged assault Feb. 12 at Kroger, 15255 Michigan Ave., as a possible hate crime.
“The incident is currently being thoroughly investigated to determine whether it involves a criminal assault and/or whether it was motivated, in whole or in part, by the offender(s) bias,” Dearborn police said in a press release.
Police responded to the scene after receiving calls of a fight in progress inside the store about 6 p.m.
An Arab American man and his family were physically and verbally attacked by two white men while shopping at the store, police said.
The men allegedly yelled, “Go back to your country,” and told the daughter to “take the rag off your head.” The three men than began to throw punches at each other which led to blood at the scene.
Kroger employees attempted to break up the fight, but the two men continued to throw punches at the Arab man. The young son of the Arab man tried to help his father but was held back by witnesses, police said.
The two men than fled before police arrived. No arrests were made, and police haven’t released the names of the victims.
“The Dearborn police will make full disclosure of this incident once fully investigated,” Police Chief Ronald Haddad said. “We have also reached out to our federal and state partners who have agreed to provide any resources deemed appropriate.”