A white teenager was arrested after allegedly painting a swastika and a racial slur on a black family’s New York home before setting it on fire.
The 15-year-old, from Schodack, has been charged with multiple felonies, including arson and reckless endangerment, but will not be charged with a hate crime because of his age, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Police Chief Joseph Belardo said: “We still consider it to be a hate crime.”
Laquan Madison, his wife Jennifer and their five children, managed to escape the blaze that destroyed their garage and left their house with substantial damage, according to police.
Mr Madison said he woke up at 11:40pm to find his house on fire and covered in racist graffiti, including the N-word, and swastikas.
“It's not going to force me to move. People are going to be who they are. My hope is they understand life is not a joke. You can't toy with people,” he told Times Union.
Ms Madison said: “We're OK. This is just something I accept. This is the world that we're living in.”
The Red Cross has helped the family find temporary accommodation while their house was being repaired, according to police.
"Our agency is standing with this family during this trying time. We want them to feel like they can live here and be safe,” Mr Belardo said.
