Hate Crime Suspected in Savage Beating of Naperville Resident at Iowa University

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19-year-old Naperville resident Marcus Owens attends the University of Iowa. According to his family, he’s a good student and a happy kid. So when he was savagely beaten the night of April 30 while on campus, the family can only think of it as a hate crime.

Owens, who is African-American, was walking home from a pub when three white men attacked him and called him a n----r, according to ABC 7. He suffered a damaged eye socket and had his front teeth knocked out. He also needed nearly a dozen stitches to his lip.

"You did not know them. They did not know you. There was no altercation. You simply yelled out racial epithets and attacked him," Owens’ uncle Darrell Owens told ABC 7.

A police report has been filed for the incident and U of I campus police are investigating the alleged hate crime.

“Owens told his family he believes one of the offenders is a student he has seen on campus,” the report said.

Owens is currently doing well and is expected to make a full recovery. Despite the incident, he has no plans to transfer.

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