The investigation is ongoing. That’s the word from the city’s mayor about allegations of a racially motivated assault in downtown Lexington earlier this month.
On November 5th, a video went viral on social media. A mother sat in the ER with her daughter claiming she was attacked because of her race. Three black teenage girls from Henry Clay High School said they went into the Portofino Restaurant and asked if they could change clothes in the restroom after a photo shoot and the manager said they could. When they were leaving, an employee asked to see inside their bags, claiming a customer’s coat had been stolen. The girls allege that a waitress blamed them “because she said we were the only black people in there.” They left and according to the girls, a manager used racial slurs as he chased after them, injuring one. So far no one has been arrested for assault because police said they were given conflicting accounts as to how the girl was hurt.
Yesterday we contacted the Lexington Police for an update on the investigation and last night Mayor Jim Gray released the following statement.
“The investigation into the incident at Portofino’s Restaurant is continuing. Since Nov. 5, when police were called to the scene at the Main Street restaurant, officers have worked diligently to uncover the facts in this case. The city and the police have taken the case, and the issues that surround it, very seriously, especially because several young people are involved. Members of my staff have met with, and kept in close contact with, police throughout this investigation. We appreciate the community’s patience as we allow our judicial process to work.”