Black teen dies after being chased by group shouting racist slurs in New York
A black Staten Island teen collapsed and died of an asthma attack after being chased by an armed white group shouting racial slurs, The New York Daily News reports. Dayshen McKenzie, 16, had left his inhaler at home when he went out with six of his friends to meet a group of mostly white men behind a fast food restaurant in Mariners Harbor. Reportedly, one of the members of McKenzie's group had a dispute with someone in the other group over a girl he'd dated two years back, and then the group of mostly white men pulled a gun.
McKenzie and his friends, who were all black, bolted. "They were calling us n----rs," Harry Smith, one of McKenzie's friends, recalled. "I just heard a lot of racial slurs. They were mixed — some white, some of them were Hispanic. But nobody was black."
McKenzie ducked into a shed in a backyard as the chase continued. The chase only broke up after the teens heard the police coming.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"Then we heard somebody yelling Poppa's name,” Smith said, using McKenzie's nickname Poppa Jawn. "Poppa said, 'It's mad hot' — and he just fell. My friend thought he was joking, then he realized he was really down."
Investigating police reportedly focused more on the gun than on the comments shouted by the pursuers. However, former NYPD officer Diane Fatigati, who rushed to McKenzie's aid, said there is no doubt in her mind what she witnessed was a hate crime.
"To me, it's murder. They were chasing him — that's a crime. You're hunting them because they're black," she said.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
Saudi Arabia World Cup: have lessons been learned from Qatar?
Today's Big Question Human rights groups fear a repeat of issues at the 2022 tournament
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
A Complete Unknown: Timothée Chalamet is a 'hypnotic' Bob Dylan
Talking Point James Mangold 'plays it safe' with new film about the iconic American singer-songwriter
By Irenie Forshaw, The Week UK Published
-
How Assad's dictatorial regime rose and fell in Syria
The Explainer The Syrian leader fled the country after a 24-year authoritarian rule
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstances
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governor
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditions
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billion
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on record
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homes
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creature
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published