Transgender Massachusetts teen says he was attacked during party, police open civil rights investigation
GLOUCESTER – Police in Gloucester have opened a civil rights investigation after a 16-year-old who is transgender said he was attacked by a group of teenagers during a party in the woods.
Police said Jayden Tkaczyk, the transgender teenager who said he was attacked, was the one who called to say he was lost in the woods Friday night.
"I was terrified. I was running through the woods having no clue what to do. I was calling the police and was yelling to the police like 'Help me, help me, I need help. I'm scared,'" Tkaczyk said.
Fight during party in Gloucester
Tkaczyk said this all unfolded during a high school party located in the woods of Goose Cove. Dozens of students attended.
That's when Tkaczyk said words were exchanged and a group of teenagers began to beat him up and jump on him.
"Being bullied throughout your life sucks, but being jumped is even worse," Tkaczyk said.
Gloucester Police and the Essex County District Attorney are investigating the incident.
Hate crime allegations
Tkaczyk attends Topsfield Vocational Academy and not Gloucester High School, but wanted to go to the party in the woods with some of his friends.
"The Gloucester Public Schools understands the severity of the allegations and are handling them with the highest level of concern," Superintendent of Schools Ben Lummis said at a press conference Tuesday.
Tkaczyk's mother said her son was targeted because he's transgender.
"Stomping on my son's head and saying that slur is a hate crime," Jayden's mom, Nicole Tkaczyk said.
Police said that both parties involved in the incident are known to one another.
Civil rights detective to handle case
Gloucester police say they've assigned a detective trained in civil rights investigations to lead the case.
"It's too early to tell right now," Gloucester Police Chief Ed Conley said regarding hate crime allegations, adding that it is being investigated by a specially trained detective "out of an abundance of caution."
The teenager said he is sharing what happened to send a message to others.
"I feel like it's important for everybody to know the damage and the severity of this," Jayden Tkaczyk said.