Two Massachusetts teens and a minor have been charged in connection with driving through Provincetown with airhorns and yelling homophobic slurs at people earlier this week, police announced Thursday.
Framingham resident Ryan Mahimtura and Hudson resident Henry Ward, both 19, and a minor from Hudson — whose identity is not being released due to their age — are all facing two counts of disorderly conduct in connection with the Tuesday incident, Provincetown police said in a press release.
The three are alleged to have traveled throughout the town yelling “homophobic slurs” at people from their vehicle, according to police. Provincetown is known for having a large LGBTQ+ population.
“Thank you to the victims who reported this incident immediately to police, and to the Provincetown Police Department for their work quickly locating the suspects and filing charges,” Provincetown Town Manager Alex Morse wrote on Facebook.
The investigation into a possible hate crime
Mahimutura, Ward and the minor may face further charges, police said. It is unclear whether these could be in connection with an alleged assault on June 30 — the last day of Pride month — that police previously said they were investigating as a possible hate crime.
The assault is still under investigation, police said Thursday.
Chris Kostka — who identified himself as the victim in the attack in a video posted to social media — said he was walking home from a friend’s house when three men got out of a car and began beating him. Police said the victim in the attack was evaluated by paramedics and did not require hospitalization, but in the video, a cut and large bruise can be seen below Kostka’s right eye.
Provincetown police are asking Bradford Street residents to check doorbell and security video recorded between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. on June 30 to see if it may have captured the suspects involved in the attack. They are described as 20- to 30-year-old white men who were driving a black Lexus sedan.
Investigators encourage anyone with information about the incident to contact Provincetown Det. Sgt. Jennifer Nolette at 508-487-1212 or jnolette@provincetown-ma.gov.
How officials are responding to the incidents
Provincetown police will have additional officers on duty throughout the next several days to help look for suspicious and potentially harmful activity, Town Manager Morse announced previously.
Town officials are also organizing a community safety forum for Tuesday, July 8, at 3 p.m. in the Town Hall auditorium, Morse said. During the meeting, officials will provide updates on the two incidents, share safety tips and host a discussion about how best to protect the community.
Morse previously encouraged residents and visitors to enjoy July 4 celebrations in Provincetown, but to “remain vigilant” while doing so and to follow a list of safety tips.
“We will not let hate win. Go out and have fun this weekend, support local businesses, tip your Drag Queens, enjoy the Fireworks, and dance the night away,” he wrote in a Thursday Facebook post.
Safety Tips:
- Charge your phone before you go out so that you can use it to call for help if necessary.
- Learn how to use your phone’s emergency SOS feature. On iPhones: rapidly press the power button five times. On Androids: this feature varies, but often holding the power button triggers an SOS.
- When in public, stay aware of your surroundings at all times.
- Before leaving an event or home, let someone know where you’re going and when you expect to return.
- Keep your head up and limit distractions such as headphones or phones when moving through public spaces.
- Travel with at least one other person whenever possible, especially at night or when leaving bars and events.
- If something feels off or unsafe, remove yourself from the situation.
- Don’t engage with anyone yelling slurs or acting aggressively. Instead, get to a safe place and report the incident to police.
- Call 911 if you see anything suspicious or witness any kind of incident.
- If safe to do so, take notes, pictures or video harassers’ license plates, cars and appearances.
- If you see someone being harassed or threatened, check in with them when it’s safe to do so.
- Follow official Provincetown Town and Police Department social media accounts for updates and alerts.
- Sign up for emergency notifications via Provincetown’s town website.
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