Girl made up story of being attacked in Va. because of her headscarf, police say

Police in Prince William County said Tuesday that a report of an attack on a 13-year-old girl who wore a headscarf in Woodbridge was false.

In a statement, police said a school resource officer and the department’s detectives found that the girl last week had “falsely reported” the incident, which they were investigating as a hate crime.

According to authorities, the girl said a man had cursed at her, grabbed her arm and showed a knife near Jato Court and Riverview Lane. She said the man was black and had also called her a terrorist.

Police said that “no altercation had occurred” and that the girl is expected to be charged with filing a false police report.

Her case will be handled through the juvenile justice system, police said.

The girl also told police that the man had removed her headscarf and placed a hand over her mouth when she tried to scream. When a motorist came by and saw what was happening, the attacker fled, the girl told police.

This story has been updated to reflect that police now say the girl’s report was false.