Delmon Young charged with hate crime

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NEW YORK, April 27 (UPI) -- Detroit Tigers outfielder Delmon Young was arrested Friday morning outside a New York hotel and charged with a hate-crime-related assault, police said.

"Basically, there was an incident at the hotel [and] some anti-Semitic remarks," detective Joseph Cavitolo told the Detroit Free Press.

What prompted the 2:30 a.m. incident outside the Hilton New York on 6th Avenue was unclear, but Cavitolo said it began with a panhandler wearing a yarmulke and a group of four men, the newspaper said.

"They have a discussion and the panhandler leaves," after which Young exchanged words with the men and engaged in a physical confrontation, Cavitolo said without detailing what Young, 26, is accused of saying.

Young followed one of the men into the hotel and police were soon called.

The report said the 32-year-old victim was "knocked to the ground" and sustained an injury to his elbow but refused treatment.

Young, who was reportedly intoxicated, was sent to a hospital and was "being processed," Cavitolo said.

Young faced a misdemeanor charge of "aggravated harassment hate crime."

Tigers spokesman Rick Thompson had no comment on the incident, the Free Press said.