Police classify teen's shooting of 'gel blaster' at Skokie park as antisemitic hate crime

SKOKIE, Ill. (WLS) -- Investigators classified a teen's shooting of a "gel blaster" toy gun at a north suburban park earlier this month as a hate crime, police said in a statement on Friday.

Skokie police said officers responded to Shawnee Park around 6 p.m. on Oct. 7 for a report of a conflict between two groups of teens, primarily between 13 and 15 years old.

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One group told responding officers that another group used antisemitic language and chased them, and that one person discharged gel pellets from a "gel blaster" toy gun. The incident spilled onto a nearby street, where one teen said a gel pellet hit them in the leg.

The Skokie Police Department said officers spoke to the teens involved as well as several adult witnesses.

The department classified the battery incident as a hate crime and identified the teen who allegedly discharged the gel blaster.

Police said their investigation is complete, but the department is unable to provide further information about any actions taken related to the teen who allegedly used the gel blaster.

Police also said reports of an adult responding to the scene with a real gun are not credible.

Further information was not immediately available.