A Mississippi father and son were arrested for allegedly chasing and shooting at two Black teenagers riding ATVs, the Atlantic Black Star reported on Wednesday (September 30).
Wade Oscar Twiner, 48, and his son, Lane Twiner, 22, have been charged with aggravated assault following the incident in Yazoo County, Mississippi on Sunday (September 27).
The two white men "pursued them and tried to stop them and to shoot them and bump them with the four wheeler,” Yazoo County Sheriff Jacob Sheriff said.
The road the teens were riding on is a common spot for riding ATVs, horses and buggies. Authorities said the two Black people were the only ones assaulted.
The Twiners claim they own property on both sides of the road they should not have to deal with people riding ATVs on the road.
They are also investigating the incident as a possible hate crime. The victims' identities are unknown.
“We’re still looking at some things on that to see if we can establish a hate crime or not. We’ve got to get with the DA and look at the statutes to say whether that would be a hate crime or not,” Sheriff said.
One of the victim's mothers claimed the suspects ran into the back of her son's four wheeler.
“That could also have been murder right then and there,” she said. Both teens’ identities remain undisclosed.
One of the teens said he can couldn't sleep the night of the incident and can still hear gunshots when he closes his eyes. He also claimed he had not been trespassing on the Twiner’s property.
"[He] could see both men shooting at him at one point, one aiming from the driver’s side window, and the other reaching over the roof from the passenger’s side," the website reported.
The suspects are in custody at the Yazoo Regional Correctional Facility, with bonds set at $70,000. The Twiners were due to appear in court on Tuesday (September 29).
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