Attack Against Black Bloomington Activist Caught On Videos

BLOOMINGTON, IN — A well-known Black activist in Monroe County said he was attacked Saturday by several men in a video-recorded incident that he describes as a hate crime.

Vauhxx Rush Booker, 36, a human rights coordinator in Bloomington, can be seen being pinned to a tree by men in several Facebook videos posted by him and witnesses. Booker recalls the incident at Lake Monroe, one he describes as an attempted lynching that he doesn't want to recount, on his Facebook page.

"I don’t want this to have happened to me or anyone," Booker wrote. "It hurts my soul, and my pride, but there are multiple witnesses and it can’t be hidden or avoided."

Booker described the events that led up to the incident recorded on video.

"The backstory is some individuals, my friends, and me had all planned on gathering to view the lunar eclipse at lake Monroe, rather than celebrating Independence Day," Booker wrote. "We were simply looking forward to a night of enjoying nature’s awesome beauty.

That's when, according to Booker's account, things took a turn.

According to Booker, he and his friend came upon a "large white male (seemingly drunk)" who Booker said was wearing an oversized hat with a confederate flag printed on it. The man then followed the two via an ATV, telling Booker and his friend they were on private property. Booker wrote that they apologized and continued on without any further incident, and told the event organizer what happened. However, despite trying to smooth things over, Booker and his group encountered folks who appeared to be with the man who originally confronted them.

"We were calm and polite, but looking back now, it’s apparent that these individuals began targeting our group the moment they saw myself, a Black man and were looking to provoke a conflict," Booker wrote.

Booker said he was attacked by "five white men (with confederate flags) who literally threatened to lynch me in front of numerous witnesses." Booker went on to say that he is OK but was diagnosed with a minor concussion, bruising, abrasions and some ripped-out patches of hair.

"I’m sorry you’re learning this way, but I don’t have the energy to keep retelling this. You may not want to watch these videos," Booker added.

As of Tuesday morning, the video had been shared more than 200,000 times, and the case is under active review by the Monroe County Prosecutor’s Office, according to attorney Katherine Liell of Liell & McNeil Attorneys PC, who is representing Booker in the case.

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Law Enforcement Division, said in a news release sent to Patch that officers responded to a "call for service regarding a battery on July 4, 2020 at approximately 8 p.m. on private property adjacent to Monroe Reservoir property," after a 911 call was transferred to Indiana Conservation Officer Central Dispatch.

"The Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Law Enforcement Division is working diligently with the Monroe County Prosecutor’s Office to ensure a lawful resolution," the news release said. "This matter remains under investigation and no further information will be released at this time."

According to Liell, the Monroe County Prosecutor's Office called in DNR, which she said "will be forced to answer some tough questions."

"I am representing Vauhxx in this matter, and we will keep the public updated," Liell said in a statement posted to her Facebook page. "I can’t begin to express the gratitude I feel for those who are supporting and praying for Vauhxx and an end to the racial hatred that is rampant here right now."

As of Tuesday morning, no arrests had been made.

Mayor John Hamilton and Bloomington City Clerk Nicole Bolden issue the following statement Monday:

"On behalf of the City of Bloomington, we would like to express outrage and grief relating to two apparent racially motivated incidents reported in our community over the July 4 weekend. A group of individuals physically assaulted and denounced and threatened with racial epithets one Black resident of Bloomington on nearby Indiana state park land at Lake Monroe. And a sheriff’s deputy from a neighboring county questioned and detained another Black Bloomington resident walking down the Bloomington street where they live in an apparent example of racial profiling. These separate incidents exemplify the persistence of racism and bias in our country and our own community. They deserve nothing less than our collective condemnation. They require that we come together as a whole, and recognize that racism damages all of us, not just our residents of color. We deserve better, and we must make it happen. Videos of the events remind us of the importance of witnesses and witnessing. Each of us must do our part to assure justice for those harmed in this weekend’s incidents, and do everything we can to forge inclusion and equity in Bloomington, and beyond."

Bloomington Mayor John Hamilton
Bloomington City Clerk Nicole Bolden

According to the statement, Mayor Hamilton has been reaching out to "the affected individuals and the legal representative of one of them, to the Monroe County Prosecutor, Governor Holcomb, and law enforcement officials in Monroe and Lawrence Counties."

"Bloomington's jurisdiction does not cover either of the events, but we condemn this horrific, discriminatory behavior in our midst and will work with our partners to pursue justice for these individuals and work toward equity and justice for all in our community," Hamilton and Bolden added.

Indiana University Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Multicultural Affairs and Dean James C. Wimbush also released a statement, saying in part, "We must work to fight against these ideas until all in our community feel safe."

Videos posted to Twitter Monday night show protesters in downtown Bloomington demanding justice and arrests in Saturday's incident. Graphic video captured shows what appears to be a protester being dragged by a car. That person is said to be doing "okay" after being brought to the hospital.

Patch will update this story as more information becomes available.

Please note that the videos and language are graphic and are left to the discretion of the Patch reader: Booker's entire account of Saturday's reported attack.