HORRIFIC

Man Charged With Hate Crime After Acid Thrown at Peruvian Migrant’s Face

The victim said a man asked him “Why did you invade my country?” before battery acid was thrown onto his face.

A man has been charged with a hate crime in Milwaukee after he was accused of throwing acid in the face of a Peruvian immigrant. Officials say Clifton Blackwell, 61, threw battery acid at 42-year-old Mahud Villalaz in an attack last week that left Villalaz with second-degree burns. Villalaz, a U.S. citizen originally from Peru, told authorities a man asked him “Why did you invade my country?” before the man threw a metal container full of acid at him. Muriatic acid, parkerizing cleaner, four bottles of sulfuric acid, and two bottles of drain opener were found at Blackwell’s home during a search Monday, according to a criminal complaint. Blackwell was charged with first-degree reckless injury, which carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison. Authorities bolstered the case with hate-crime and use of a deadly weapon charges, which could each add five years to the sentence.