A parent is suing the city of Gary and city schools over a school bus beating the lawsuit claims was racially motivated.

Angel Luis Garcia Berrios, 14, took a "severe beating" on a bus home from Tolleston Middle School because he is not black, according to the civil lawsuit. The defendants knew Berrios was being racially targeted on the bus before Sept. 10, the day he was beaten, the lawsuit states. The suit claims the defendants were negligent in supervising students.

Highland lawyer David Gladish filed the lawsuit on behalf of Berrios' mother, Maylee Garcia, of East Chicago, against the city, the schools and their elected representatives, as well as One Button Services Bus Transportation.

Schools spokeswoman Sarita Stevens said the attack was not racially motivated. The students and Garcia were friends before the beating, Stevens said.

"People were led to believe that there were a busload of students that attacked this child, and that did not occur," Stevens said.

A previous school district news release reported police called the fight a hate crime. Two students were arrested and referred to authorities after the fight on the bus at Fifth Avenue and Grant Street.

Stevens said two boys involved in the incident were suspended from school pending expulsion.

The lawsuit seeks an as-yet undetermined sum of money for medical care and pain and suffering.