Students Rally After 3 Charged With Hate Crimes at Middletown Middle

Students at Middletown Middle School took a stand against hate today by organizing a rally after recent racial events took place this week.

Three Middletown middle school students were charged with hate crimes on Thursday after viral posts surfaced of them making racial violent threats to Black students accompanied with pictures of the students holding guns and weaponry. One of the photos is captioned, ‘Slaves ran away.’ Investigators say the three other photos have the same caption,’We finna shoot some more n—s,’ using a racial slur. The boys are holding guns in the pictures. During the county press conference it was found that two out of three guns discovered were BB or Airsoft guns. The three students are being charged as juveniles. The student who was found to have the handgun faces an additional charge as a juvenile for underage possession of a firearm.

Eric Louérs-Phillips, the executive director of public affairs for Frederick County Public Schools, stated said some families have chosen to move their students into virtual education because of the posts. At the time of the incident, the school was not evacuated or put on lockdown during school hours because investigators determined there was “no imminent threat of physical harm.” After receiving harsh blow-back from the Frederick community about it “downplaying” the severity of the incident through its initial online post, the Sheriff Department’s made a second social media post clarifying the crimes committed and reassured the public the incident will be investigated. Fredericktonians voiced their concern and advocated online for the students’ parents be held liable. Local law enforcement will not be charging the parents of the assailants.

At 7:15 a.m., PTSA and students stood outside Middletown Middle School to rally against racism and violence. Participants were asked to wear purple in solidarity. The Frederick County Sheriff’s Office is working with Frederick County’s State’s Attorney’s Office Juvenile Division. Sheriff Chuck Jenkins highlighted threats like this will not be tolerated and encouraged the Middletown community to not let this incident divide them.