Utah police investigate whether assault on Maxwell Frost should be prosecuted as a hate crime

Utah police are investigating the assault of U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost at the Sundance Film Festival as a hate crime.

A Park City Police report obtained first by Florida Politics says Christopher Young is accused of repeatedly making racial remarks about Frost and a second victim in the attack. Young was arrested on charges of aggravated assault on a government official, aggravated burglary and assault on a patron of the bar.

“Both assaults are being screened for hate crimes enhancements due to evidence that the suspect was racially motivated,” a report by Officer Shawn Ray states. “The suspect made racial slurs and remarks made during and after the assaults occurred.”

Ray wrote that he was dispatched to the High West Distillery on Park Avenue. That was the location of a Creative Artists Agency invitation-only party taking place at the festival.

When police arrived, security at the event had already detailed Young, who had snuck into the party uninvited after jumping a fence. That came after Young was turned away by security at the door once.

Police spoke to Frost, who said Young made eye contact with him after going to the top level of the bar.

“Frost advised he did not know if Young recognized him as a congressman or singled him out because of his ethnicity,” the report states.

Frost is the son of Black and Cuban American parents.

Frost said Young engaged him in conversation, which was “friendly” at first, but it changed when Young made “weird” comments about the race of Frost and the Latina woman at the party with him. The comments included remarks about Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Notably, Frost has heavily criticized the tactics of ICE across the country.

By Frost’s account, Young pulled him and the woman close, “like he was hugging them around their necks.” When Frost pulled away, Young pulled him back close and told him, “We are going to deport you and your kind.”

Frost said he then pushed Young away, leading Young to shout a racial slur not listed in the report.

Young then allegedly punched Frost in the face, striking his mouth and nose. Frost later denied medical attention, and the report said the attack left no visible marks

The man then turned away and ran into the crowd. Frost said Young shouted “multiple racial slurs” as he left.

Police also interviewed the female victim, who was not named in the report. She also said Young was making normal conversation until he started discussing race, mass deportations and ICE. She got upset and stopped talking to the man after the comments, which she described as “racially charged” and “upsetting.”

She said Young grabbed her by the right shoulder, then pushed her away, forcing her to stumble backwards into a bar and fall to the ground. She also later reported no physical injuries needing attention.

She said Young then shouted, “You are the kind we are going to deport. You’re being deported.”

The woman said another man watched the encounter and grabbed Young, holding him until security could intervene.

Young, in his own interview with police, said he was “just hanging” at the bar and did not remember the altercation. He also declined to provide his identity, but did respond to it when police called him by name.

A manager at the bar said she had watched erratic behavior by Young after his arrival. While Young said he had ordered two drinks, the manager told police she advised staff not to serve him any more alcohol based on his actions before the assaults occurred.

Police found a Sundance pass on Young, but not in his own name. The man said he did not remember where he acquired it.