British teen killed in racial ax attack

Jet, August 22, 2005

A Black teenage honor student who was followed through a park by a group of men shouting racist taunts died recently after an attacker broke his skull with an ax.

Anthony Walker, 18, reportedly was waiting for a bus with his White girlfriend and a cousin when a man started shouting racist taunts at them near Walker's home in Liverpool, England.

Police said the three left to find another bus stop to avoid any trouble, but a group of three or four men followed them through a park, and Walker's companions saw someone bludgeon him with an ax.

They ran to get help and returned a few minutes later to find him with the ax embedded in his skull, news reports said. Walker died early the next day.

"I'm sorry I couldn't do more to help you," said Walker's cousin Marcus Binns, 17, who was present during the attack.

At JET press time two arrest had been made, but one suspect was released on bail. Police are searching for two more men whom they believe may have fled the country, according to CNN.com.

"What we are dealing with here is a vicious and unprovoked attack on a young Black man, which we believe to be racially motivated," said Detective Chief Superintendent Peter Currie, who was leading the investigation.

According to police, several other incidents of racial abuse had been reported recently in the area.