Five teens charged with hate crimes in Rehoboth Beach | News

REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. – Around 2 a.m. on Aug. 18, three women flagged down a police officer after they were attacked by a group of youths who fired at them with an airsoft gun and then fled in a car.

According to police, the incident occurred near Baltimore Avenue and Second Street when a vehicle approached the women, stopped, and five juveniles got out. The juveniles allegedly made comments about the women's public behavior that they felt were inappropriate. During the exchange, one of the juveniles fired an airsoft gun at the women before all five returned to the vehicle and left the area.

A Dewey Beach Police Officer located and stopped the vehicle along the Coastal Highway corridor in Rehoboth Beach. The officer took all five juveniles and one adult driver into custody without incident.

Further investigations revealed that the confrontation was motivated by the suspects' perceptions of the victims' sexual orientation, authorities said.

The juveniles were all between the ages of 14 and 15. The adult driver was identified as Jerome Charleston, 21, of Bridgeville.

The young people were accused of the following:

• Serious threat (3 counts, felony)
• Insult by touching (3 cases, misdemeanor)
• Hate crime (3 counts, misdemeanor)
• Third degree conspiracy (misdemeanor)
• Improper conduct (misdemeanor)

They have been released to a parent or guardian. Charleston has been charged with disturbing the peace and will appear in court at a later date.

Brandon joined the CoastTV News team in June 2024. He is a graduate of Full Sail University's Dan Patrick School of Sportscasting and holds a bachelor's degree.