Man attempted robbery because of Trayvon Martin

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CHICAGO, April 26 (UPI) -- An 18-year-old Chicago man arrested for attempted robbery told police he assaulted a man because he was angry over the shooting of Trayvon Martin, police said.

Alton Hayes has been charged with a hate crime after telling police he was so upset over the shooting of unarmed Sanford Fla., teen Trayvon Martin, which occurred on Feb. 26, that he deliberately targeted a white man, the Chicago Tribune reported.

A 15-year-old boy was also charged in the incident.

At about 1 a.m. on April 17, Hayes and the boy allegedly approached a 19-year-old man from behind in Oak Park, police said. Hayes allegedly grabbed him from behind and pushed him up against a tree, hitting him multiple times on the head and shoulders, police said.

The 15-year-old boy allegedly grabbed a tree branch and pointed it at the victim, demanding his belongings, police said. Hayes then reached into the victim's pockets, said Oak Park Police Commander LaDon Reynolds.

"During the course of the investigation, we learned that the crime was related to the victim's race," Reynolds told the Tribune.

Hayes is being held in lieu of an $80,000 bond.