FBI launches hate crime investigation after a swastika was carved into the back of a Jewish teen with autism, report says

• A teenager with autism returned from school with a swastika carved into his back, per reports.
• The 17-year-old was identifiably Jewish. He wore a yarmulke to school every day.

The FBI has launched an investigation into a suspected hate crime against a "visibly Jewish" 17-year-old boy with autism who had a swastika carved into his back at high school, according to the Israeli news outlet Ynet.

The teenager, who is nonverbal and had a full-time shadow to assist him at school, returned home from Clark High School in Las Vegas, Nevada, on March 9 with the swastika — the infamous Nazi symbol — etched onto his skin, the JewishPress reported.

His mother, who spoke to media outlets on the condition of anonymity for safety considerations, told Jewish news outlet Col Live that she noticed the injury that evening.

She also noticed that the bag holding her son's service dog's equipment, which included treats, water, and doggy bags, appeared to have been broken, per JewishPress.

The mother told Col Live that her son, whose name has not publicly been released, wears a yarmulke every day — making him identifiably Jewish.

She also said that to her knowledge he was the only student at the high school who regularly wore a religious skullcap.

Ynet reported that the FBI launched the investigation following an intervention by nonprofit group The Israeli-American Council.

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) of Nevada appeared to confirm the law enforcement investigation in a tweet on Tuesday, urging anyone with information on the incident to reach out to them, and also to the FBI, regarding the "suspected hate incident."

Jolie Brislin, the ADL's regional director in Nevada, said in a statement that the organization "condemns this violent, antisemitic act. Not only was this student targeted for his identifiable faith, but he was particularly vulnerable due to his disability."

The FBI confirmed in an email to Insider that it was aware of the incident and was communicating with local authorities. "If during the local investigation, information comes to light of a potential federal civil rights violation, the FBI is prepared to investigate," an FBI Las Vegas spokesperson said.

Because the teenager was unable to communicate what happened, his mother said she asked the person who had been assisting him, but was told that "nothing had happened at school," per Col Live.

The teenager's family later filed a report with the Clark County School District Police.

The mother said that because the school doesn't allow CCTV cameras in classrooms, locker rooms, or bathrooms, there appears to be no video evidence for the alleged assault.

But she told Col Live that she has since pulled her son out of the school, describing it as an "unsafe environment."

Representatives from the Clark County School District did not respond to Insider's request for comment.

April 21, 2023: This story has been updated to include a statement from the FBI.