Ron Wilkins

rwilkins@jconline.com

LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Austin Bradley Gregory faces a formal misdemeanor charge of battery for allegedly attacking a Purdue professor who is Muslim..

The 37-year-old Canadian citizen of Egyptian heritage told the Journal & Courier in September that Gregory's alleged attack started as a road rage incident about 5:45 p.m. Sept. 3. It ended in the his driveway, where the professor said Gregory punched and kicked him while the woman driving the Cadillac yelled, “Kill him! Kill him!"

The attack prompted the Council on America-Islamic Relations, a civil rights group for Muslims, to call for Indiana to adopt hate-crime laws. CAIR published a press release last month, calling for Indiana to adopt enhanced sentencing for crimes that target victims based on religion, race or sexual orientation.

The professor said last month that his well-meaning friend contacted CAIR after the attack, and he did not want to make the incident into a political one. He did, however, want justice, which he said was criminal charges against Gregory and the driver of the Cadillac.

The Labor Day weekend incident started in the Wal-Mart parking lot in West Lafayette.

Gregory, 21, was a passenger in the Cadillac that honked at the professor as he backed out of a parking space and into the path of the Cadillac. The woman driving the Cadillac flipped off the Purdue professor, Gregory said during a brief interview on Sept. 7.

The victim told the Journal & Courier the driver yelled, "Go home, f---ing foreigner." Gregory accused the professor of flipping off the driver of the car, which the professor denied.

The charging information and probable cause affidavit filed with the charge, however, make no mention of this exchange or the flipping off of the professor and the driver.

After the dust-up in the parking lot, the two vehicles traveled the same route to their respective homes until Morehouse Road, when Gregory's vehicle attempted to turn left, and the professor passed the Cadillac on the right.

That's when the Cadillac began following the professor, Gregory said. They were going to report the professor for trying to run them off the road, he said.

The professor told the Journal & Courier he did not drive recklessly or attempt to run the Cadillac from the road.

Last month, Gregory told the Journal & Courier that when they got to the professor's home on Ledyard Street, the professor walked up to the car and reached inside. Gregory said he was protecting his family and that's when the fight started.

But according to the affidavit, Gregory told police that he got out of the car and the professor yelled at him, so he punched the man once in the left eye, according to the affidavit.

Two of the professor's neighbors witnessed the attack, according to the probable cause affidavit filed with the charge. They told police they saw Gregory yelling at the professor, get out of his car and punch the professor several times, according to the affidavit.

Gregory, who lives in Country Squire Apartments in rural West Lafayette, was arrested Sept. 3, and he posted bond on Sept. 4.

Last month, the professor told the Journal & Courier, "I will not stay here if I don't see justice. This country is not safe. There is no justice now."

The Journal & Courier was unable to contact the professor Tuesday.

J&C breaking news reporter Ron Wilkins can be reached at 765-420-5231; follow on Twitter @RonWilkins2

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