KTKA

"The more we get to know people who are different, the more we will be less likely to be violent and try to hurt other people."

Clinical psychologist Karen Sexton has some advice for 49 News viewers, a lesson to be learned after a shocking hate crime is exposed.

KTKA viewers are making their opinions heard.

They've been posting on our Web site since we aired a story about two local teenagers who admitted painting an African-American boy white and urinating on him at a party.

A behavioral expert explains how good kids can do bad things, and found a surprising answer for all of us.

David Endsley plays football for Doane College, where he's a freshman. He's one of the two teens, along with Isaac Clark, who pleaded guilty to the hate crime that happened last year at a graduation party. So how could a seemingly "good kid" take such a wrong turn?

Karen Sexton, a clinical psychologist at Valeo explains.

"Even a good kid with baggage from the past, put together with alcohol, could really go over the edge," Sexton said.

Karen saw our story and the viewer postings that started right after our newscast Wednesday on 49 News at 6. Those comments continued through the night. Statements like this one from absolutmom 66548 says, "Your report failed to state that the victim had just completed the 8th grade and was very drunk and obnoxious."

Aconn says, "I am utterly disgusted with the ignorance of not only the kids involved, but also of their friend who comment."

But others say these were good kids.

"One of the things that concerned me about the blogs is it's people pointing fingers and blaming, justifying, and shaming," Sexton said. "We never learn from that."

And she says we should all be careful not to criticize.

"I'm saying that we all have potential for that if we're not aware of what our thoughts are or our history," she added.

And as many try to make sense of this seemingly senseless crime, our expert offers this advice.

"What we do learn is what makes a difference and say, 'Why did this happen? How can we do something different?' It's not sympathy, but learning from the situation."