UNC freshman Quinn Matney’s reports to police that he had been assaulted outside a UNC residence hall last week were determined to be false by police on Tuesday.
Police had previously determined that the crime was fueled by Matney’s sexual orientation and were investigating the case as a hate crime. In a report to police, Matney claimed that two men had confronted him, one of whom grabbed him and branded him with a scalding metal object. Matney sustained severe damage to his left hand. His accusations were later proven to be false by the UNC Department of Public Safety, and now Matney could face charges of his own.
Chancellor Holden Thorpe sent out a message to all students on Tuesday condemning Matney’s actions, but also said that UNC will always take accusations of hate crimes very seriously.
“It is important to recognize that incidents of harassment do occur,†said Thorp. “When they do, we take them seriously. We strive to foster a welcoming, inclusive and safe environment at Carolina.â€