Mayor releases statement about investigation of Portofino incident

Mayor Jim Gray on Wednesday afternoon released a statement about Lexington police’s investigation into an alleged racially charged assault involving a manager of a downtown restaurant and three teen girls.

Three black Henry Clay High School students say that a white manager at Portofino chased them through downtown and assaulted them on Nov. 5 after accusing them of stealing a jacket.

At a protest Saturday, community activists criticized the handling of the case.

The mayor’s full statement follows:

“The investigation into the incident at Portofino’s Restaurant is continuing. Since Nov. 5, when police were called to the scene at the Main Street restaurant, officers have worked diligently to uncover the facts in this case. The city and the police have taken the case, and the issues that surround it, very seriously, especially because several young people are involved. Members of my staff have met with, and kept in close contact with, police throughout this investigation. We appreciate the community’s patience as we allow our judicial process to work.”

This story was originally published November 16, 2016 at 6:06 PM with the headline "Mayor releases statement about investigation of Portofino incident."