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Tips Sought In Racially Motivated Assault

LIVONIA (WWJ) - In the wake of what police say was racially motivated assault outside of a Livonia movie theater, city officials are looking for the public's help.

Livonia Mayor Jack Kirksey and police are asking looking to for tips to identify three white males who threw a drink on a six-year-old African-American girl and yelled racial slurs at her family outside of AMC Livonia 20 last Tuesday.

"We will not tolerate this kind of behavior .... (This) cowardly kind of abusive thing that happened is not Livonia," said the Mayor.

One of the victims, Nesiah, came to the police station, Monday.  She said when her daughter, Saniya, asked why the men would do that, she told her that there are nice people and mean people, and left out the racial part.

"I wanted to make sure that (she knows) what is important is that we find out who did this ... You know, it's just very, very hard to explain to her, because I can't even explain it to myself," she said.

Nesiah said there has been an outpouring of support from the community."We've received a lot of letter of encouragement, and gifts, as well, for Saniya," she said.

Anyone who saw a faded red pickup outside the theater on Tuesday is asked to call Livonia Police. There is a reward for tips leading to an arrest.

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