Evidence from the investigation did not support the pursuit of hate crime charges, police said in the release. But the alleged victim and his mother are hopeful that will change, their attorney told CNN. Although the news release doesn’t identify the victim, 16-year-old Jayden Tkaczyk told CNN affiliate WCVB he was stomped on, punched in the face and called homophobic slurs during the incident. Tkaczyk “sustained lacerations and contusions, including black eyes, and serious nervous damage” due to the “severe beating,” his attorney, Craig Rourke, told CNN. “We must love, protect & respect trans kids.”Hope Watt-Bucci, the president of North Shore Pride, an LGBTQ group based in Manchester, Massachusetts, told CNN she was “horrified” to learn about the attack on Tkaczyk.

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Persons: Tkaczyk, Tkaczyk “, ”, Craig Rourke, Rourke, “, Jasmine Tkaczyk, WCVB, ” Tkaczyk, ” Rourke, Massachusetts Sen, Ed Markey, ” Hope Watt, Tkaczyk . Watt, Bucci, “ microaggressions Organizations: CNN — Police, Gloucester Police Department, Gloucester Juvenile Court, CNN, Police, WCVB, Massachusetts State Police, Democrat, Commonwealth, North Shore, Department Locations: Gloucester , Massachusetts, Gloucester, Massachusetts, Manchester , Massachusetts, Tkaczyk, North Shore