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2 charged with hate crimes after dispute between neighbors in DeLand

By Charles Frazier, WFTV.com

2 charged with hate crimes after dispute between neighbors in DeLand Christopher Acord, 39, and Dustin Young, 40, both charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, enhanced to hate crimes due to their alleged use of racial slurs.

By Charles Frazier, WFTV.com

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — Two men are facing hate crime charges in Volusia County after deputies say they carried out an unprovoked attack on a Hispanic man while calling him multiple racial slurs.

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According to the sheriff’s office, deputies responded to a neighborhood in DeLand for reports of a disturbance involving the victim and another man who got into an argument and challenged each other to fight.

Deputies say the initial confrontation was determined to be “mutual combat” and no charges were filed.

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According to the sheriff’s office, less than 10 minutes after deputies left the area, 39-year-old Christopher Acord and 40-year-old Dustin Young approached the victim on his property and began threatening him while using multiple racial slurs.

At least one witness told deputies Acord was armed with two long swords or machetes during the second confrontation while Young was armed with a pocketknife.

After interviewing everyone involved, deputies say Acord and Young both tried to claim the victim first threatened them with a hand saw.

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However, a witness statement, surveillance video, conflicting statements by Acord and Young, and the evidence at the scene convinced deputies that the claims against the victim were unfounded.

Deputies say they found cause to arrest both Acord and Young on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, which were later enhanced to hate crimes due to their use of racial slurs during the “unprovoked attack” on the victim.

According to the sheriff’s office, Acord has a history of arrests in Volusia County for battery, aggravated battery, resisting law enforcement, and multiple drug charges. Young also has a history of arrests on multiple drug charges.

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