A Fall River man ripped up an 82-year-old Air Force veteran’s Trump sign and beat him up, kicking the man repeatedly, police say.
Aiden Courtright, 24, of Fall River, was arraigned Wednesday and is being held for a dangerousness hearing that will take place Thursday, according to the Bristol County District Attorney’s office. That hearing, at the request of the DA Thomas Quinn’s office, will determine whether Courtright is able to be released on bail.
Courtright is charged with a civil rights violation with injury, assault and battery on someone over 60 with injury, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and vandalizing property. Fall River cops in a police report described the incident as a “political hate crime.”
Police said the 82-year-old was standing at the rotary at North Main Street and Airport Road shortly after 5 p.m. when a man — later identified as Courtright — put his car into park and confronted the man, according to the police report filled out by Fall River Police about the incident.
Courtright then “ripped” the sign out of the man’s hands, “tore it in half and threw it to the ground,” police say.
“Courtright then went after chase, grabbing him by his shirt knocking his hat off, and throwing him violently to the ground,” Fall River police wrote, noting that Courtright had pointed leather shoes. “Once (the victim) was on the ground he continued the attack by kicking him in the ribs and legs.”
The 82-year-old suffered what the police report described as “minor” injuries, but did have to go to the hospital, and has “visible bruising on his lower back.
The cops wrote that two witnesses nearby corroborated the 82-year-old’s description of what happened.
Cops says Courtright hid out from them in his apartment, but then turned himself in when contacted by police.
Cops noted that the victim served in the Air Force in the 1950s.
