Police charge 3 youths in 'hate-motivated' robbery on Greenbank Road

Ottawa police have charged three youths in a Wednesday night robbery in west Ottawa, which police are calling"hate-motivated."

At around 8:20 p.m. on Greenbank Road near Lisa Avenue, a victim was punched, kicked androbbed in the streetby a group of males, police said.

Police were called to the area and say they arrested three youths.

The event is being treatedas a "hate-motivated incident," police said, as the perpetrators utteredhateful comments disparaging the LGBTQ community. Thehate and bias crime unit is taking part in the investigation, police added.

The three youths are charged with one count eachof robbery. One of the youths also facestwo additional counts of failure to comply with an undertaking.

Police did not specifythe genderof the victim,nor did they confirm whether those involvedwereteenagers.

"Recent events within our city are adding to safety concerns for members of some population segments who may be at greater risk of being victimized by hate motivated incidents and crimes," police said in a news release.