Tuesday June 6, 2017
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A Muslim group is asking police to investigate the beating of a Somali woman during a brawl last weekend as a hate crime, but investigators say there is no evidence to support the claim, reports say.
Rahma Warsame, 45, and Samantha Morales, 31, both were injured after a fight erupted at about 9:30 p.m. Saturday at an apartment complex, the Columbus Dispatch reports.
Morales, who is Hispanic, said she saw a Somali woman hit a young boy in the face with a shoe, police tell the Dispatch.
The boy ran off, but officers tell nbc4i.com that there accusations that the boy had been kidnapped.
Morales reportedly confronted Muna Warsame, 28, who is not related to Rahma, and told investigators the woman was swinging a stick at her. Morales also said Warsame threatened to break the windows in her home and that she used a stun gun on her hand.
According to the Dispatch, Rahma Warsame said she came to Muna Warsame's aid and tried to calm the situation. She says she was struck in the face and that a man made racial comments.
Morale's boyfriend, Ricky Boyce, tells abc6onyourside.com that several people surrounded his girlfriend during the confrontation and that he came to her defense.
"Oh, I know I hit somebody, so I'm sure I did," Boyce tells abc6onyourside.com.