San Jose State Suspends Three White Students for Alleged Hate Crime and Battery Against Black Freshman

The San Jose State University campus was rocked this week by allegations that three white freshmen students harassed and bullied their African-American freshman roommate. The white students have been suspended and charged with battery and a hate crime.

The black student was living in an eight-unit dorm suite with seven white classmates. Over the course of three months, the white students allegedly locked him in his room, forced a U-lock around his neck, wrote “n-----” on a white board, mocked him with racial nicknames, including "three-fifths," and hung Nazi and Confederate symbols in their dorm suite, including a photo of Adolf Hitler.

San Jose State Vice President of Student Affairs William Nance called the students’ actions “outrageous and disgusting” and said that three of them would be suspended for “at least several months.” The students were all from California and have been identified as Colin Warren, Joseph Bomgardner and Logan Beaschler.

The victim reportedly held off on informing school officials about the bullying and abuse in an effort to “get along.” The student’s family eventually learned what was happening and reported it. In a statement, they said they are “deeply disturbed by the horrific behaviors that have taken place against our son.”

Meanwhile, students at San Jose State are rallying in support of the student and expressing their outrage: