Family of Sharmeka Moffitt Speak On Alleged Hate Crime Attack

Sharmeka Moffitt remains in critical condition at LSU Hospital after being allegedly attacked and burned over the weekend by three men dressed in white hoodies.

Moffitt’s mother and family members spoke last night saying Sharmeka sustained burns over 60 percent of her body, and could remain in the hospital for months.

The attack reportedly happened on Sunday evening at a city park in Winnsboro, Louisiana while the 20-year-old was walking along a trail.

While authorities have not declared the attack on Moffitt a hate crime, the Federal Bureau of Investigation is involved in the investigation along with state and local authorities.

The FBI defines a hate crime as a traditional offense like murder, arson or vandalism, but with an added element of bias.

Congress has defined a hate crime as a “criminal offense against a person or property motivated in whole or in part by an offender’s bias against a race, religion, disability, ethnic origin or sexual orientation.”

A hate crime is not a distinct federal offense, however, the federal government can and does investigate and prosecute crimes of bias as civil rights violations, which fall under its jurisdiction.

Her vehicle was painted with the racial slur, ‘KKK‘. Moffitt called 911 to report the attack, but was unable to identify her attackers.

Louisiana State Trooper Albert Paxton said this morning police are analyzing DNA gathered from the scene of an attack on a woman in Civitan Park in Winnsboro with hopes it will identify suspects in a crime that could have been racially motivated.

Moffitt is set to undergo surgery at LSU Health Sciences Center in Shreveport today as she remains in critical condition.

“We’re analyzing DNA evidence with hopes that we can find some matches,”