Des Moines police are being asked to investigate a weekend attack as a hate crime.
The NAACP claims the assault on 22-year-old DaQuan Jones was racially motivated. Jones, who is black, tells police he was beaten by three white men while walking early Saturday on Des Moines’ south side. Jones was hospitalized with what police say were significant, non-life-threatening, injuries.
Jones claims one of his attackers made racist comments during the assault. No arrests were made.
An NAACP official said blacks need to be on high alert after incidents locally and elsewhere in the country.