Florida man accused of attacking 80-year-old veteran in possible hate crime

Man accused of attacking 80-year-old veteran

A man is accused of punching an 80-year-old veteran in the face outside his home in what investigators say could be a hate crime.

SUMTER COUNTY, Fla. - A man is accused of attacking an 80-year-old veteran outside his home in what investigators say could be a hate crime.

Authorities say Kyle Parrish knocked on the door of Dr. Otis Lane’s home in The Villages and was captured on a doorbell camera. 

What they're saying:

Lane said he believed Parrish was a maintenance worker and went outside, where he was confronted and assaulted.

"There are words that can't explain why a person would come to your house, target you, ring your doorbell, lure you outside, and attack you," Lane said.

Lane said Parrish made a derogatory remark before approaching him. "He said, 'We don't want people your kind living here,' And at that point, he was walking directly towards me," Lane said.

According to an affidavit, Parrish then punched Lane in the face. 

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"He stepped in front of me, he hit me so quickly. I didn't have an option to defend myself or to respond," Lane said.

Lane reflected on the incident, saying, "Listen, I was born in the South under Jim Crow laws, and I've had to deal with racism all my life. I didn't get to be Dr. Otis C. Lane by accident. It was through sweat and tears, and in some cases, I was made to feel degraded as a second-class citizen. And I reached this level in my life. The last thing I would think would be a young white man that would come into my development and target me and assault me."

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Parrish was arrested days later on a charge of battery on a person 65 or older. 

What's next:

Investigators say the case may involve a prejudicial motive, and prosecutors will decide whether to pursue hate crime charges.