Huntley police: Boy, 13, charged with hate crime for threats over Xbox

A 13-year-old boy has been charged with a hate crime in northwest suburban Huntley after he allegedly sent racially motivated threats to another juvenile over an online gaming network.

The boy has been charged with felony counts of hate crime, harassment by electronic communication, disorderly conduct and obstructing a peace officer, Huntley police announced Tuesday. The boy was also charged with a misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct.

He was being held at the Kane County Juvenile Detention Center.

On Nov. 13, officers were made aware of threatening comments that were sent to the juvenile over Xbox Live, Microsoft’s online gaming service, according to police.

Huntley police opened an investigation and later executed a search warrant, police said.

Police said the boy is not the same person charged in connection with a reported hate crime in October at Marlowe Middle School, 9625 Haligus Road in Lake in the Hills.

Huntley Community School District 158 and the Lake of the Hills Police Department also helped investigate.