Texas Man, 27, Charged With Federal Hate Crime for ‘Knockout Game’ Attack on 79-Year-Old Victim
Barrett’s phone, which was seized by police after the tip from the arson investigator, contained several incriminating videos, including a clip showing him approaching an “elderly African American man” and asking, “How’s it going, man?” As he gets closer to the victim, “a loud smack is heard, and the victim falls to the ground,” reported Tribble, who added, “Barrett laughs, says ‘knockout,’ and then flees in his vehicle.”
Other videos on Barrett’s phone appear to show him plotting a “knockout” attack. “The plan is to see if I were to hit a black person, would this be nationally televised?” he comments in one clip. “In other videos, Barrett uses the word ‘nigger’ and states that African Americans ‘haven’t fully experienced the blessings of evolution,’” according to Agent Tribble.
Another video shows Barrett driving around a mall parking lot, saying that he was trying to work up the “courage” to play the “knockout game.” At one point, Barrett remarks that he had “found the perfect African American suspect,” but he then apparently changes his mind about attacking the target.
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