A teenager was badly beaten by a large group of other teens in Gloucester, Massachusetts. The victim and his mother say he was targeted for being transgender.
Police and other officials are investigating, including with a specialist in hate crimes, after the incident that was reported around 10:45 p.m. Friday.
"One second, I was having fun, the next second, I was on the ground getting my face stomped and beat up," said 16-year-old Jayden Tkaczyk.
He is recovering from a broken bone in his face, nerve damage, a head injury and bruises all over his body.
"They were just saying the F slur over and over and over as they were punching me and stomping me," he said.
"He's been bullied by these children for years because he's trans," added his mother, Jasmine Tkaczyk.
Jayden Tkaczyk says he went to hang out in the Gloucester woods with friends Friday night when he was attacked by 20 to 30 people.
And he believes he knows why.
"Because I'm trans, and also because one of the main culprits, he's dating my ex-girlfriend, so he really doesn't like me," he said.
Tkaczyk escaped, got lost in the woods and called 911. He was picked up and hospitalized.
The junior at Topsfield Vocational Academy says many of the attackers are on the Gloucester High School football team.
He knows them from when he used to play football in Gloucester when he was a sophomore.
"I played on it for about a week or two before I had to quit because of the threats they were making towards me," he said.
Asked whether the incident is being investigated as a hate crime, Gloucester Police Chief Edward Conley said, "It's too early to tell right now, but there is some information that we have from early statements" that led him to appoint an investigator trained in investigating hate crimes.
Conley, Mayor Greg Verga and School Superintendent Ben Lummis all said they were taking the incident very seriously.
"The Gloucester Public Schools understands the severity of these allegations and is handling them with the highest level of concern," Lummis said, though he didn't share details about what happened in what he called a "troubling incident."
Videos of the incident have been surfacing online.
"We have access to many videos," said Conley. "Our detectives are getting evidence sent to them, and they are aware of the social media posts that are out there."
Tkaczyk and his family want the attackers held accountable.
"This has always been my worst fear as a mom of a trans teen, getting that phone call that your son is in the hospital for getting beaten up," Jasmine Tkaczyk.
The incident took place in Dogtown, Conley said, noting that police regularly check the abandoned colonial village for underage drinking.
The Essex County District Attorney's Office confirmed it was aware of the allegations.
Police have asked anyone with information about what happened to call 978-283-1212.
