MURDER CHARGES.
LIVE IN TOOELE Nick McGurk ABC 4
NEWS.
***GLEN***
THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH IS
RESPONDING TO A RACIST INCIDENT
THAT TOOK PLACE ON MARTIN LUTHER
KING JUNIOR DAY.
***FLOREZ***
THEY SAY THEY HAVE IDENTIFIED
THE PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THIS CASE
AND WILL "TAKE APPROPRIATE
ACTIONS."
ABC 4'S ROSIE NGUYEN JOINS US
IN THE STUDIO WITH WHAT
HAPPENED.
ROSIE?
GLEN, EMILY --
UNIVERSITY OFFICIALS SAY
SOMEONE ETCHED THE N-WORD INTO
ICE ON A WINDSHIELD OF A CAR ON
CAMPUS.
NOW WHILE THERE WAS NO DAMAGE
AND GRAFFITI WASN'T PERMANENT
... THEY'RE NOT TAKING THIS
INCIDENT LIGHTLY.
EACH YEAR ON THE THIRD MONDAY
OF JANUARY ... SWARMS OF
STUDENTS, STAFF, AND FACULTY
MARCH ALONG THE UNIVERSITY OF
UTAH CAMPUS TO COMMEMORATE THE
PROGRESS OF CIVIL RIGHTS.
Annalisa Purser / Spokesperson,
University of Utah: "We were
excited to celebrate the legacy
of Martin Luther King on Monday
and throughout this week."
BUT THIS YEAR ON A DAY SO
MOMENTOUS FOR COMMUNITIES OF
COLOR ...
UNIVERSITY OFFICIALS SAY
SOMEONE ETCHED THE N-WORD INTO
ICE ON A WINDSHIELD OF A CAR
PARKED ON CAMPUS.
Annalisa Purser / Spokesperson,
University of Utah: "Incidents
like this evoke white supremacy
and just divisiveness and can
very harmful and hurtful."
STUDENT ALE AGUILAR, WHOSE
FAMILY IS FROM GUATEMALA SAYS
SHE'S EXPERIENCED RACIAL
HARASSMENT BEFORE AND KNOWS THE
IMPACT IT CAN HAVE ON A VICTIM.
Ale Aguilar / Student: "I've had
incidents where students have
said the S-word to me, 'spick'
before here on campus."
JUST A DAY AFTER THE
INCIDENT, OFFICIALS RELEASED A
STATEMENT TO DENOUNCE WHAT
HAPPENED AND EMPHASIZE THEIR
MISSION OF INCLUSION.
PURSER SAYS THE INDIVIDUALS
INVOLVED HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED
AND "THE APPROPRIATE ACTIONS
WILL BE TAKEN."
STUDENTS SAY THEY'RE GLAD TO
HEAR ADMINISTRATORS TAKING THE
INCIDENT SERIOUSLY AND
INVESTIGATING IN A TIMELY
MANNER.
Devyn Whatley / Student: "I
definitely do think actions
should be taken, a statement
should be made and by the end of
it, they're doing their best to
make ... more, you know, secure
and inclusive place on campus"
Ale Aguilar / Student: "It's
great that they're doing that. I
think we can take more steps to
be a more inclusive - always,
always. We can always take more
steps to be more inclusive."
UNIVERSITY OFFICIALS SAY
THEIR OFFICE FOR EQUITY,
DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION IS
ESTABLISHING A NEW INITIATIVE
THAT WILL BRING TOGETHER SEVERAL
COMMITTEES ...
FOCUSED ON CREATING A MORE
INCLUSIVE CAMPUS.
THEY EXPECT MORE INFORMATION
TO BE RELEASED ON THIS INCIDENT
LATER THIS WEEK.
