Boise police suspect weekend attack was based on hate

Boise police are investigating an aggravated battery that happened early Saturday as a possible hate bias crime, police said Tuesday.

A man was attacked by a group of people near 19th and Jefferson streets about 3 a.m. Saturday and was taken to a hospital for injuries described as “traumatic but not life-threatening,” police said in a news release.

Anyone who saw the attack or otherwise has information about it is asked to call police at 377-6790 or Crime Stoppers at 343-COPS.

Police did not say what type of hate bias was suspected in the attack, how many people were involved in the attack or whether weapons were used.

“A Hate-Motivated Crime is any criminal act or attempted act directed against an individual or group based on the actual or perceived race, religion, culture, disability, ethnic background and/or sexual orientation,” police said in the news release.

The reason police did not specify the type of bias?

“Because this is an open and active investigation,” said BPD spokesperson Ryan Larrondo in an email.

This story was originally published April 5, 2016 at 6:58 PM with the headline "Boise police suspect weekend attack was based on hate."