AUGUST 24--Police are investigating whether a series of assaults at the Iowa State Fair were racially motivated since the attackers reportedly announced it was “Beat Whitey Night” during one attack.

According to a Des Moines Police Department report, a group of young black assailants pummeled a white fairgoer Friday night, an assault that cops believe may have racial overtones due to what was said by the attackers.

A report by Sgt. David Murillo noted that, “officers at the fairgrounds advise there was a group of 30-40 individuals roaming the fairgrounds openly calling it ‘Beat Whitey Night.’” The victim, 36-year-old Jammie Carroll, suffered “severe injuries to his eyes, cheekbones, and nose,” and was hospitalized at Mercy Medical Center with multiple facial contusions.

Cops are examining other reported incidents at the fairgrounds since groups of black juveniles appeared to be singling out white victims. During one of these confrontations Sunday evening, two police officers were injured trying to break up a brawl (which resulted in five arrests).

A second police report notes that the Sunday incident again involved “a large fight with black male and female juveniles assaulting white citizens."

The motto for the fair, which closed Sunday, was "Non Stop Fun." (4 pages)