Teen Sisters Hurt During Stockton Protest Felt Targeted Because They Are White
STOCKTON (CBS13) - Stockton police are searching for the suspects in a vicious attack that happened on Friday against two teenaged sisters.
Police say a group of protestors wearing Black Lives Matter shirts held a vigil and a protest near the intersection of Pacific and Yokuts avenues.
CBS13 has learned there is no formal Black Lives Matter group in Stockton -- and according to officials with the Sacramento chapter, no one from the movement was involved with the protest or the attack.
Protestors were remembering Colby Friday, an African-American man who was shot and killed by Stockton police in August after he ignored an officer's commands to drop his handgun.
Police say two Caucasian girls left a local restaurant and passed by the protest when they were attacked by the protestors.
What was supposed to be a peaceful protest remembering Colby Friday turned into a vicious brawl directed against two sisters, and now, investigators are looking for suspects.
"Our understanding is that it involved several out-of-towners whose intent was more than protesting," said Ron Freitas, the Assistant District Attorney for San Joaquin County.
Stockton police say the protestors claimed to be connected with the Black Lives Matter movement and were protesting recent officer-involved shootings against blacks.
According to police, the two female victims say they felt the attack was racially-fueled because they are white.
Police are not releasing any details about what led up to the attack but say the sisters suffered non-life threatening injuries to their faces and bodies.
Stockton police say there were officers assigned to keep an eye on the protest Friday but say they did not see the attack.
No charges have been filed yet, as the San Joaquin County District Attorney's Office is waiting to receive the police report.
"We are disappointed but we are moving forward to get down to the bottom of this," Freitas said.
Stockton police are now reviewing surveillance video from the area to figure out how the encounter turned violent.
A $10,000 reward is being offered for any information leading to an arrest.