The incident occurred at the January 24 game. Photo from Facebook

Authorities in Rapid City, South Dakota, have identified at least one suspect in connection with the racist treatment of Indian students at a hockey game over the weekend.

Police Chief Karl Jegeris said he's investigating the incident as a case of assault, hate crime and child abuse. "It was what I would call scorching of your soul," he said at a press conference last night, KELO-TV reported.

Some 57 children from the American Horse School on the Pine Ridge Reservation were subjected to racial slurs and some had beer poured on them during the Rapid City Rush game on Saturday night. Parents, teachers and leaders of the Oglala Sioux Tribe want the perpetrators held accountable.

"They were targets of a hate crime, because of their skin color, because they were from the rez," parent Angie Sam said at the press conference, KELO reported.

"In the families' view, there is nothing short of an arrest that needs to be made. That is the definition of justice in this instance," Mato Standing High, an attorney who is representing four families, told KOTA-TV.

The American Horse School Board has filed complaints with the Rapid City Police and the Pennington County State's Attorney. School leaders also want federal authorities to investigate the incident as a hate crime.

Get the Story:
Parents Want Those Responsible For Racist Behavior At Hockey Game Held Accountable (KELO 1/28)
Hate Crime Charges Possible After Incident At Rush Game (South Dakota Public Radio 1/28)
Criminal charges might be filed in racial incident (KOTA 1/28)
Rapid City Police Identify At Least One Person Who Harrased Students At Hockey Game (KCSR 1/28)
Allen School Board files police report from Rush game racial incident (KEVN 1/28)

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