Four people charged for Iowa County barn attack in August

Four people were charged Thursday in an attack on a 14-year-old boy at an Iowa County barn, an attorney representing the victim said. Online court records show 18-year-old Carson Knight, 20-year-old Richard Offerdahl III, and 17-year-old Claudio Valdivia were each charged with child abuse, battery and disorderly conduct. Attorney B’Ivory LaMarr said a fourth person was also charged but their name was withheld due to their age. The charges stem from an alleged attack at an Iowa County barn party that occurred on Aug. 17. Video of the attack, which later went viral online, appeared to show a 14-year-old African American boy being beaten by a group of white males. At one point, someone can be heard uttering an anti-Black racial slur however it is not clear in the video who said the slur. The Iowa County Sheriff’s Office said the fight started after the 14-year-old stole a gun and hit a girl. However, LaMarr and the victims family claim the attack was racially motivated. Knight, Offerdahl and Valdivia are scheduled to make initial appearances in an Iowa County courtroom on Dec. 2.