Ryan Kyle, Racial Subway Assault, Pennsylvania 2015

Ryan Kyle, 22, formerly of Baldwin Borough, Pennsylvania, is facing federal charges for a brutal, racially motivated attack on a Black man at Pittsburgh’s Wood Street T Station. The assault, captured on video, occurred on May 30, 2015, just after a Kenny Chesney concert let out at Heinz Field. Kyle, who is white, allegedly targeted 53-year-old Kevin Lockett because of his race and skin color, shoving him onto the subway tracks in a violent, unprovoked attack.

According to the criminal Information filed in U.S. District Court, Kyle willfully caused bodily injury to Lockett due to his actual and perceived race and color. The charge falls under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009. This marks the first federal hate crime prosecution in Western Pennsylvania since the law was enacted. Kyle is currently incarcerated and expected to enter a guilty plea.

Port Authority surveillance footage shows the moments before the attack — Kyle approaching Lockett on the platform, shouting, then violently pushing him onto the tracks below. Lockett survived the fall but suffered physical and emotional trauma. The video, previously entered into evidence during state proceedings, was critical in building the federal case.

U.S. Attorney David J. Hickton stated the federal charge ensures Kyle is held fully accountable for a crime driven by racial hatred. “The anticipated plea in this case ensures that Ryan Kyle is held fully accountable for a federal hate crime that carries a significant sentence, highlights the racial motivation for the offense, and demonstrates the federal government’s commitment to prosecuting racially-motivated crimes,” Hickton said.

The charge was certified by former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch, a legal requirement under federal law before hate crime prosecutions can proceed. The offense carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence will reflect the severity of the crime and any prior criminal history.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Cindy K. Chung is prosecuting the case. The investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Port Authority Police Department. A criminal Information is an accusation; a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. In this instance, the filing signals Kyle’s intent to plead guilty to the federal hate crime charge.

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