Two men in Ocala, Florida have been charged with a hate crime for allegedly attacking a black man due to his race.
The incident was reported at a Family Dollar store in Citrus County back in November.
The victim told police that he was walking away from the store when he heard two men yelling racial slurs at him.
One of the two men then ran up to him and started striking him with a closed fist, while the other used an ax handle to assault the victim.
When authorities arrived, they identified the suspects as 55-year-old Roy Lashley and 52-year-old Robert Lashley.
Officials say Roy also got into a confrontation with arresting officers.
Both men were charged with assault and battery under state law.
Roy also received an additional charge of charges of resisting law enforcement.
On Friday, the court also charged the men with a Federal hate crime stating that both men “aided and abetted one another, willfully caused bodily injury to the victim, a Black man, because of his actual and perceived race.”
Federal hate crime charges carry a maximum 10-year prison sentence and a fine of up to $250,000.