Dallas Karaoke Host Wakes Up With Fractured Skull, Broken Jaw But No Memory

Oscar Rodriguez

A popular karaoke host at the Dallas gay bar, the Round Up Saloon, is still suffering the severe after-effects of an apparent late night assault.

Oscar Rodriguez remembers leaving after his shift at the Round Up a little after 2 a.m. on April 14.

But the next thing he can remember is waking up in his car. There was no damage to his vehicle, his ID and cash were still on him, but his phone was missing.

Although he was experiencing an excruciating head ache, he was able to drive to his home in the neighborhood of Oak Lawn, but it soon became apparent he needed serious medical attention.

(screen capture)

His roommate drove him to the hospital where he was diagnosed with a bleeding brain, a fractured skull, a broken jaw and several missing teeth. Surgery was required to wire his jaw shut and insert metal plates in his head.

Rodriguez’s friend and co-worker, Nikkii Meister, told WFAA News, “The doctors at Parkland (Hospital) said whoever did this intended for him to not walk away from it.”

The 32-year-old karaoke host says he’s still experiencing serious memory loss.

“My memory was all over the place,” he told WFAA. “I couldn’t remember what year it was, I couldn’t remember my birthdate.”

With no memory of the assault, and no leads to go on, police have made no arrests in the case.

Additionally, Rodriguez has no health insurance, so the bills are mounting up quickly. With his jaw wired shut for several more weeks, he can’t work as a karaoke host without being able to talk.

A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to help defray the costs of his medical treatment.

(Source: WFAA)

Suspect Arrested In Salt Lake City Gay Bashing

Suspected gay basher in Salt Lake City assault (screen capture)

A man caught on video sucker-punching a gay man in Salt Lake City last weekend has been arrested.

The Salt Lake Tribune reports that 22-year-old Carlo Alazo was charged Friday by the Salt Lake County district attorney with three misdemeanors - one for threatening to use a weapon in a fight and two for assault.

An 8-second video that captured Alazo appearing to punch the victim, Sal Trejo, was posted to

Twitter and went viral.

The incident occurred this past weekend around 1:30 a.m. Sunday morning in downtown Salt Lake City in front of a bar.

The brief video begins with Alazo asking Trejo if he was gay.

"Are you gay, though?" Alazo asks on the video.

Trejo responded, “Oh, yes, I am.”

"Oh, then you're gay," Alazo replied.

According to Trejo, he began to reply, "Yeah, but you called me a [faggot]," but gets sucker punched before he could finish the sentence.

My friends and I were assaulted by this homophobic man in downtown Salt Lake City last night. Anyone know him? The police are interested in having a chat with him. #SaltLakeCity @slcpd @slcmayor @EqualityUtah pic.twitter.com/1tPFSCADOp

— Salonge Knowles (@saltrejo) February 17, 2019

“He just messed with the wrong queers,” Trejo told The Salt Lake Tribune. “We knew that we would be able to find him because we have the resources and we have the support of the great community here in Salt Lake City.”

Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski, the city’s first openly gay major, reached out to Trejo shortly after the attack.

And State Sen. Derek Kitchen, Utah’s only openly gay legislator, shared the video on Twitter writing at the time, “It’s time for the UT Legislature to act on hate crimes legislation.”

Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill says he won't be attaching hate crime enhancements because he believes it would be “nearly impossible for me to prove that intent” under Utah’s hate crime statute. Gill called the laws as written "unworkable."

“I would have to show that the person involved in criminal behavior had the intent to deny a constitutionally protected right,” Gill added, such as free speech or religious expression, which doesn’t apply in this case. “It’s so burdensome, we don’t even go to it.”

Utah’s hate crime laws apparently have never been utilized successfully in court.

The Salt Lake Tribune reports that a state Senate committee passed a bill this week that would strengthen the existing hate crimes law.

Salt Lake City Gay Bashing Recorded By Victim

Suspected gay basher in Salt Lake City assault (screen capture)

A victim of a homophobic attack recorded his own assault in an 8-second video that’s gone viral.

The incident occurred in Salt Lake City, Utah, this weekend around 1:30 a.m. Sunday morning.

The video, shared by Sal Trejo on his Twitter account, begins with an unidentified man asking Trejo if he was gay.

"Are you gay, though?" the man asks on the video.

Trejo responded, “Oh, yes, I am.”

"Oh, then you're gay," the man replied.

According to Trejo, he started to reply, "Yeah, but you called me a [faggot]," but gets sucker punched before he could finish the sentence.

Watch the video below.

My friends and I were assaulted by this homophobic man in downtown Salt Lake City last night. Anyone know him? The police are interested in having a chat with him. #SaltLakeCity @slcpd @slcmayor @EqualityUtah pic.twitter.com/1tPFSCADOp

— Salonge Knowles (@saltrejo) February 17, 2019

Trejo also posted a written statement which read:

My friends and I were assaulted by an intoxicated man last night as we left a bar in downtown SLC. It started with him approaching us out of the blue and making homophobic and misogynistic comments towards our group. We started recording him and asked him to leave, he wouldn’t, and then went on to hit me and shove one of our girlfriends. At this point we became verbally aggressive to protect ourselves. We called the police immediately. He then pulled out a knife and pointed it towards us while continuing to call us faggots. He eventually ran off, got into his car (in his intoxicated state) and drove on the light rail tracks until he sped off away from Main Street. This man is dangerous and needs to be held accountable for his actions. He drives what looked like a 2007 BMX X5. If you know who he is, please let me know so we may alert the police.

Trejo notes in his Twitter feed that Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski had contacted him on Sunday about the attack. Biskupski is the city’s first openly LGBT mayor.

State Sen. Derek Kitchen, Utah’s only openly gay legislator, also shared the video on Twitter and wrote, “It’s time for the UT Legislature to act on hate crimes legislation.”

According to the Salt Lake Tribune, state lawmakers have dragged their feet on enacting tougher hate crime laws.

Salt Lake City Police shared the video along with the request that anyone with pertinent information call 801-799-3000 and reference case 19-28822.

We are asking anyone with information on this case to call 801-799-3000 and reference case 19-28822 https://t.co/vWfG7Arr3v

— SLC Police Dept. (@slcpd) February 18, 2019

Two Men Arrested In Connection To Alleged Attack On EMPIRE Star Jussie Smollett

Jussie Smollett

The Chicago Police Department has announced the arrests of two men in connection to the alleged homophobic attack on Empire star Jussie Smollett.

According to CNN, the men are the same that were previously identified in surveillance video as “persons of interest.”

Tom Ahern, Chicago Police communications deputy director, told the press that the men are being viewed as “potential suspects,” but have not been charged at this time.

The men were taken into custody for questioning Wednesday night at O’Hare Airport as they returned from a trip to Nigeria.

One of the men previously pleaded guilty to aggravated battery in 2012, and was sentenced to 2 years of probation, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Earlier today, CPD spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said detectives “had probable cause that they may have been involved in an alleged crime.” Guglielmi didn’t specify what the alleged crime might have been.

"Interrogations will resume today with the two individuals and their attorney," Guglielmi said in his statement. "While we haven't found any video documenting the alleged attack, there is also no evidence to say that this is a hoax."

Smollett told the authorities that on January 29, he was attacked by two men who assaulted him, put a noose around his neck and poured an undetermined liquid on him. According to Smollett, the men used homophobic and racial slurs during the attack as well as yelling, “This is MAGA country!”

On Thursday, the CPD shared they had identified the two men, reportedly brothers from Nigeria, using surveillance cameras, public transportation records and corroborating info provided by Smollett.

Chicago news station CBS2 reports police raided the home of the two men finding bleach, shoes, electronics and more.

According to their lawyer, Gloria Schmidt, the men know Smollett as at least one of them has reportedly worked as an extra on Empire.

"They do know Jussie,” she told CBS2. “They have worked with him on Empire. My preliminary investigations show that on set it’s very tight. They’re all very cordial with each other, so they’re baffled why they are people of interest.”

There were conflicting press reports Thursday night as some outlets claimed the Chicago Police Department was looking into whether Smollett staged the attack himself and falsely reported the crime.

Among the theories was that Smollett might have faked the assault to raise his profile as his character on Empire was to be written off the series.

But Guglielmi announced via Twitter that media reports alleging the attack was a “hoax” were “unconfirmed by case detectives.”

The police spokesman added that media sources regarding the attack are “uninformed and inaccurate.”

Media reports anout the Empire incident being a hoax are unconfirmed by case detectives. Supt Eddie Johnson has contacted @ABC7Chicago to state on the record that we have no evidence to support their reporting and their supposed CPD sources are uninformed and inaccurate. pic.twitter.com/iSO5YFv452

— Anthony Guglielmi (@AJGuglielmi) February 15, 2019

Additionally, 20th Century Fox Television and Fox Entertainment released the following statement regarding the reports:

“The idea that Jussie Smollett has been, or would be, written off of EMPIRE is patently ridiculous. He remains a core player on this very successful series and we continue to stand behind him.”

BREAKING: Fox has released a statement firmly standing behind the actor:

“The idea that Jussie Smollet has been, or would be, written off of Empire is patently ridiculous. He remains a core player on this very successful series and we continue to stand behind him.”

— Zach Stafford (@ZachStafford) February 15, 2019

Conflicting Reports In The Media Regarding Alleged Assault On Jussie Smollett

Jussie Smollett on 'Good Morning America'

There's rampant confusion in the media tonight as I'm seeing conflicting reports regarding the alleged attack on Empire star, Jussie Smollett.

Chicago police confirmed that they are talking to two persons of interest in connection with the alleged attack.

Local news station ABC7 Eyewitness News reports police are investigating whether Smollett and the two men staged the attack allegedly because Smollett was being written off of Empire.

In a statement released Thursday, police said they identified the two people in surveillance photos and tracked them down using cameras, public transportation records and corroborating info provided by Smollett.

CBS2 reports police raided the home of the two men finding bleach, shoes, electronics and more.

And, according to CBS2, the men know Smollett as they've reportedly worked as extras on Empire. That information came from their attorney, Gloria Schmidt.

"They do know Jussie,” she told CBS2. “They have worked with him on Empire. My preliminary investigations show that on set it’s very tight. They’re all very cordial with each other, so they’re baffled why they are people of interest.”

However...

As these reports began to circulate, Chief communications officer for the CPD, Anthony Guglielmi, tweeted that media reports alleging the attack was hoax are “unconfirmed by case detectives.”

Guglielmi added that media sources regarding the attack are “uninformed and inaccurate.”

Media reports anout the Empire incident being a hoax are unconfirmed by case detectives. Supt Eddie Johnson has contacted @ABC7Chicago to state on the record that we have no evidence to support their reporting and their supposed CPD sources are uninformed and inaccurate. pic.twitter.com/iSO5YFv452

— Anthony Guglielmi (@AJGuglielmi) February 15, 2019

Additionally, 20th Century Fox Television and Fox Entertainment released the following statement regarding the reports:

“The idea that Jussie Smollett has been, or would be, written off of EMPIRE is patently ridiculous. He remains a core player on this very successful series and we continue to stand behind him.”

BREAKING: Fox has released a statement firmly standing behind the actor:

“The idea that Jussie Smollet has been, or would be, written off of Empire is patently ridiculous. He remains a core player on this very successful series and we continue to stand behind him.”

— Zach Stafford (@ZachStafford) February 15, 2019

I don't know what is or isn't true here, so I'm just reporting what I'm seeing.

Jussie Smollett Speaks To GMA About Alleged Late Night Attack

'Empire' star Jussie Smollett speaks to GMA about alleged gay bashing

In his first interview since he told police he had been the victim of a late night attack in Chicago, actor/singer Jussie Smollett says he’s disappointed some doubt his story.

"I have to acknowledge the lies, and the hate,” the Empire star told Good Morning America’s Robin Roberts. “And it feels like if I had said it was a Muslim, or a Mexican, or someone black, I feel like the doubters would have supported me much more - a lot more.”

"And that says a lot about the place that we are in our country right now,” he added.

Police continue to investigate the suspected hate crime that Smollett says happened on January 29 around 2 a.m. as he left a Subway restaurant.

The 36-year-old actor says two men yelled homophobic and racial slurs to get his attention, then put a noose made out of white rope around his neck, poured a liquid on him Smollett says was bleach, and then beat him. Smollett says the men yelled, “This is MAGA country” during the attack.

He was later treated for bruised ribs and injuries to his clavicle bone at a hospital.

Smollett says he thought if he told the truth, then, “That’s it - that’s the truth.” But, then as he began to hear doubters, he came to feel, ”Oh, it’s not necessarily that you don't believe that this is the truth, you don't even want to see the truth.”

"For me, the main thing was the idea that I somehow switched up my story, you know? And that somehow maybe I added a little extra trinket, you know, of the MAGA thing," Smollett told Roberts. "I didn't need to add anything like that. They called me a fag, they called me a n*gg*r. There's no which way you cut it. I don't need some MAGA hat as the cherry on top of some racist sundae."

He explains he didn’t immediately call the police out of a sense of pride, saying, “We live in a society where, as a gay man, you are considered - somehow - to be weak, and I’m not weak. And we, as a people, are not weak.”

When asked why he thought he was targeted, Smollett surmises it’s because, “I come really really hard against 45. I come really really hard against his administration."

Smollett says he believes the image of two people found on surveillance cameras by the police are his attackers, saying "I don't have any doubt in my mind that that's them - never did."

And moving forward, he says he “will never be the man that this did not happen to. I am forever changed.”

And Smollett has a message for the LGBTQ community. “I want a little gay boy, who might watch this to see that I fought back.”

“Learn to fight; learn to be a fighter,” he continued. “I’m not advocating violence, at all. If you are going to die, fight until you do. Cause if you don’t fight, you have no chance.”

Shortly after Smollett’s interview aired, Chicago Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi tweeted that authorities have found the persons of interest captured on surveillance cameras around the time of the alleged attack and they are being questioned.

Guglielmi emphasized the two are "not considered suspects at this time as they are currently being questioned by detectives."

He added, "We remain in communication with the alleged victim."

Important for media reporting: The people of interest are alleged to be in the area where a crime was reported. They are not considered suspects at this time as they are currently being questioned by detectives. We remain in communication with the alleged victim. pic.twitter.com/JuH1kYRTYV

— Anthony Guglielmi (@AJGuglielmi) February 14, 2019

Austin: Four Men Arrested In Late Night Gay Bashing

Spencer Deehring and Tristan Perry

Four men have been arrested in connection with the brutal homophobic attack in downtown Austin last month that sent the two victims to the hospital.

According to NBC affiliate KXAN, the four suspects are:

• Frank Macias
• Miguel Macias
• Kolby Monnell
• Quinn O'Connor

All four face two counts of second-degree felony assault.

According to KXAN, a second-degree aggravated assault charge, if convicted, could result in a prison sentence of two to 20 years. If a hate crime finding was successfully proven on top of that, the sentencing range would increase to five to 99 years in prison.

Officials say social media played a part in identifying some of the suspects by matching physical descriptions as well as tattoos, as well as surveillance footage from nearby buildings.

Frank Macias, Quinn O'Connor, Miguel Macias, Kolby Monnell (l-r)

Additionally, a few days after the attack was reported, the police received a crime stoppers tip naming Frank Macias and another individual.

The victims, Spencer Deehring and Tristan Perry, told police they were walking down the street holding hands when a man called them a homophobic slur. When they asked what he had said, the man began calling them 'faggots' and called previously-unseen men who joined in the attack.

The four reportedly followed the couple taunting them with homophobic slurs.

When Perry attempted to verbally defend himself, he says he was punched by a muscular man with long, blond hair. Falling to the ground, the four joined in punching and kicking him.

When Deehring tried to defend Perry, they turned on him as well.

The attack ended when a passerby happened to see the assault.

Both men were transported to a hospital to be treated for serious injuries.

Deehring positively identified Macias in a police lineup. And according to reports, Macias then implicated his brother and the two other men.

Twitter Trolls Kevin Hart For Sending Jussie Smollett 'Prayers' After Homophobic Assault

Kevin Hart (L), Jussie Smollett (R)

In the aftermath of a homophobic, racist attack on Empire star Jussie Smollett, an outpouring of love and support for the openly gay actor came flooding across social media.

As I reported earlier this week, Smollett was assaulted in the early hours of January 29 when two attackers physically accosted him, poured bleach on his head and put a noose around his neck, all while calling him homophobic slurs.

The incident is now being investigated by police as a possible hate crime.

Celebrities and activists of all stripes reached out to send ‘best wishes’ and thoughts for a speedy recovery after the attack.

But when comedian Kevin Hart offered his ‘prayers’ via Instagram, social media was not having it.

In addition to said prayers, Hart wrote:

“This is unbelievably sad. Why are we going backwards....this is disgusting. We as people have to do better. WTF is going on the world???? Why are we falling in love with hate???? God damn it people....Choose love...I repeat...Choose love. I will forever choose love and I will continue to teach my kids how to do the same. Stand strong brother”

View this post on Instagram

Sending prayers your way @jussiesmollett ....This is unbelievably sad. Why are we going backwards....this is disgusting. We as people have to do better. WTF is going on the world???? Why are we falling in love with hate???? God damn it people....Choose love...I repeat...Choose love. I will forever choose love and I will continue to teach my kids how to do the same. Stand strong brother

A post shared by Kevin Hart (@kevinhart4real) on Jan 29, 2019 at 6:44pm PST

You’ll recall Hart recently had to step down from hosting this year’s Oscars after homophobic tweets and jokes resurfaced from his past.

The man who took forever to give a direct apology for joking that he would break a doll house over his son’s head if he thought he might be gay is now wondering, “Why are we going backwards?”

Uh-uh, the Twitter people do not have short memories when it comes to seems like hypocrisy here.

Here’s just a sample of the responses Hart got to his ‘prayers:’

Do you see why the “jokes” weren’t funny now??

— Bethany West (@niale_west) January 30, 2019

This is why we don’t joke about beating our sons if we think they’re gay

— Jon McQueen Daddy Brix (@JonMcQueen) January 30, 2019

Wait... how you... ?!?! pic.twitter.com/PUtzUkZfyV

— (@calvinscottrob) January 30, 2019

This is your reminder that Kevin Hart was given a publicity tour to declare that being an ally to LGBTQ folks is not his life's goal or dream and that he's done apologizing. This is your reminder that his jokes reflect actual attitudes that produce what happened to Jussie.

— Dana (@DanaVivianWhite) January 29, 2019

This is why someone’s jokes about beating their gay son were never funny

— Ira (@ira) January 29, 2019

Keep yo tears n prayers...This is why yo joke was important and such an issue

— Jerry Ford, Jr., MPP (@JerryFordJr) January 30, 2019

Hart responded this afternoon via tweet:

I stand with a man in his time of hurt and need by giving him heart felt support and u take the time to harp on my 10yr past that I have apologized about and moved on from by being a better person. Do you want change? If so I am an example of what u want people to do...CHANGE! https://t.co/Ybbo8OYKTt

— Kevin Hart (@KevinHart4real) January 30, 2019

Texas: Gay Couple Hospitalized After Late Night Hate Crime In Austin

Tristan Perry (L) and Spencer Deehring (R)

A gay couple was attacked in an apparent hate crime early Saturday morning in Austin, Texas.

Tristan Perry and Spencer Deehring were walking to their car around 2:45am after celebrating a friend’s birthday at Rain nightclub in downtown Austin.

The couple passed a man on the street who called them a homophobic slur. They told local news station KXAN they believe it was because they had been holding hands.

Deehring says he responded to the slur by saying something along the lines of “I’m sorry, I couldn’t hear you.”

At that point, Deehring says the man called out to his group of friends who were previously unseen. The mob began to follow the couple as they headed to their car.

The group began “yelling every expletive you can think of,” says Deehring, who told them, “I don’t have anything more to say to you guys, we’re just going home, leave us alone.”

And that’s when Perry was punched in the face suffering a broken nose and falling to the ground. While down, another in the group kicked Perry in the back of his head.

Deehring attempted to defend his boyfriend by tackling the men, but was knocked unconscious after being punched by members of the mob.

A bystander walking by may have saved their lives as the attackers fled upon being seen. The bystander called 911 and waited with the men until police and an ambulance arrived. Both men were hospitalized.

Perry was treated for a cut on the back of his head, a broken nose, chipped teeth, and multiple bruises. He continues to experience memory lapses.

Deehring suffered several lacerations, bruises to the back of his neck and head, and swelling to his jaw and mouth.

The president of the Austin chapter of PFLAG, Anna Nguyen, told KXAN that while she has seen violence targeting LGBTQ people in Austin in the past, “It feels as if lately the frequency has ratched up quite a bit.”

“I think Austin as a community needs to step up its game and prove it’s one of the most LGBTQIA-friendly cities in the country by deed, and not just by words,” she added.

Statistics released last November by the FBI show an increase of LGBT-related hate crimes in Texas when comparing data from 2016 to 2017.

The couple has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help defray the medical costs.

On the GoFundMe page, after explaining the attack that landed them in the hospital, they write:

Today I ask for your help with the burden we have been given of medical expenses related to this experience. Both of us were transported in an ambulance and given emergency trauma care at a local hospital. Due to this we expect our bills to exceed the thousands of dollars due to receiving comprehensive radiological care. And we ask for your love and support during our difficult time. Any help you can give is immensely appreciated. Always spread love and positivity. End hate.

They also shared their story on Facebook wanting people to realize attacks like this can happen to anyone.

Additionally, as a result of sharing the news of the attack, Deehring came out to his family and loved ones.

Grateful for the support they’ve received since the attack, the couple say they have a message for others.

"Spread love, end all this hatred, end all this closed-mindedness always watch your surroundings, always be aware of your surroundings, don't walk alone," says Perry.

And Deehring adds, “Be aware of your surroundings, but don't change who you are as a person, don't ever change who you are as a person and don't be afraid to go out there and explore the world, just as you are.”

Watch the report from KXAN below:

Homophobic NYC Subway Attacker Arrested For Harassment & Assault As A Hate Crime

Allah Allasheed

Earlier this week, I reported on the violent homophobic attack on a New York subway train that left a young woman with a fractured spine.

According to The New York Daily News, the alleged perpetrator has been apprehended and charged with aggravated harassment and assault as a hate crime.

Allah Allasheed, 54, faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.

The assault occurred on November 20 aboard an E train in Queens.

The victim, a 20-year-old college student, tells the Daily News her friend “gave me a kiss on the cheek while she was making a Snapchat.”

That somehow triggered Allasheed, who flew into a rage, as he started screaming at the two young women.

“Don’t do that gay shit in front of me!,” he yelled as he threatened the victims. “Do that one more time and watch what happens!”

The two students say they stood up to put some distance between themselves and the man, and that’s when he jumped up and ran towards them.

“I knew he was going to hit me,” the victim told The Daily News. “He punched me in the back. I turned around and before I could even defend myself …. he threw me back. My head hit the pole and my back hit the ground."

Allasheed apparently managed to escape when the train stopped at the next stop.

Hospitalized with a C7 vertebrae fracture near the base of her neck, the victim also suffered torn elbow ligaments trying to catch herself as she fell.

Treated at Elmhurst Hospital, she returned to school for end of semester exams. Nearly a month after the violent assault, she still wears a neck brace.

Allasheed was captured by the New York Police Department Hate Crime Task Force. According to reports, he confessed to the attack and the use of hate speech.

“I stood up and told her kiss her again you dyke and watch what happens,” he allegedly told authorities, according to the Daily News. “I pushed the girl, she turned around and then she fell.”

The victim told the Daily News she is, of course, relieved the assailant has been arrested and charged. She also doesn’t want the incident to change her.

“Bad things happen, but good things happen all the time,” she said. “Hopefully I can move on from it.”

Two Men Arrested & Charged In Violent Hate Crime Attack On Gay Couple

Kealan Abraham (L) and Andre Duncan (R)

According to local Fox News affiliate, Andre Duncan, 39, and Kealan Abraham, 34, were arrested and charged with battery with a deadly weapon, battery with use of deadly weapon result of substantial bodily harm and conspiracy to commit criminal contempt.

The incident occurred near Vegas Drive and Simmons Street outside the gay couple's home.

Charles Clements told police he and his boyfriend were followed home and attacked on November 29 as they arrived at their home.

The assault spilled onto their front patio where a glass table was knocked over and shattered. According to Clements, one of the men picked up a shard of glass and began to stab his boyfriend Vincent in the back puncturing his lung and breaking two ribs.

Clements said the men called Vincent a "faggot" and "an abomination" during the attack. Clements suffered head wounds.

Clements said neighbors heard the attack and then saw everything.

“Neighbors, everybody just looking,” he said. “Nobody called the police.”

Police said officers found Duncan's driver's license on the scene of the attack.

Vincent told police he recognized one of the attackers as a man who works with him at Walmart. That’s how the man knew about their relationship, he said.

“It was all about gay bashing,” Clements said. “The guy came up to my boyfriend’s job, calling him an abomination, calling him 'fag.'”

When police went to Abraham's home on December 2, Duncan's car was present. According to police reports, he was seen leaving the home and drove to Walmart. Officers arrested him there.

Police arrested Abraham at his home.

Both men admitted to taking part in the fight but claimed there was not 'hate crime' aspect to the attack.

Hate Crime: UK Teen Beaten & Left For Dead For Being Bisexual

(stock photo via Pexels)

A bisexual teen living in Nuneaton, a town in northern Warwickshire, England, was the target of a violent attack and was reportedly left for dead.

CoventryLive reports the attackers were charged in the attack and pleaded guilty to the assault, but received no jail time. Instead, they were given referral orders (a form of community service) and ordered to pay compensation.

The teen had been spending the day with friends when he was approached by one of the two attackers.

“What you hanging around with him for, you do know he’s bi,” said the first assailant.

The other then said, “Is this right?” as he launched into the violent beating.

When one of the victim’s friends said, “I can’t believe you hit him because he is gay,” one of the attackers replied, “I haven’t got a problem with gay people, but I have got a problem with greedy bis like him.”

The teen was allegedly knocked to the ground and the attackers began to kick him before dragging him into a wooded area.

As the beating continued, the teen says they threatened him if he told the police: “If you give our names to the police, we will find you and kill you.”

At home, he told his mother “three lads in balaclavas” had attacked him as the attackers had told him to say. But when he was taken to the hospital, all pretense fell away and he shared the truth of the beating.

Although the physical injuries of the attack began to heal, it is the psychological scars that continued to plague the boy.

His mother says he became a recluse, and she would sometimes find him “huddled with his hands over his head.” Eventually, the teen would refuse to leave his house out of fear.

Although people in the community rallied around him with support, the young boy says,“I just wish that the police and the court had done their jobs properly.”

“I feel let down, I feel like no-one did their jobs properly because, if they did, one of them would be in jail,” he told ConventryLive. “They attacked me because I am bisexual, what happened has changed my life, it has made me constantly look over my back.”

The after-effects of the attack were so severe, the family has moved from Nuneaton for fear the boy would run into his attackers.

HIs mother says that he has begun to recover some of his old self before the beating, but isn’t sure he’ll ever truly shake off the memory.

Having moved away, the family is coming forward now in an effort to highlight the injustice they feel they experienced.

“He just wants to stop any other kids going through what he has been through,” the mother shared with CoventryLive. “If they (the police) had said from day one it was not a hate crime, it wouldn’t have been so bad but all the way through we just kept being told that one of them might go to prison.”

For their part, the Warwickshire Police Force said through a spokesman, “We can confirm it was thoroughly investigated as a hate crime and charged as a hate aggravated crime.”

(h/t CoventryLive)

Gay Men Attacked At Knife-Point In Key West Hate Crime

Christopher Yarema and Stephanie Burnham (mugshots via Monroe County Sheriff's Office)

Two gay men from West Hollywood, California, were vacationing in Key West, Florida, when they became the victims of a hate crime.

According to the Sun-Sentinel, the two men had rented a large boat and dinghy in order to spend the day on Wisteria Island, a small federally-owned uninhabited island located several hundred yards off of Key West.

After spending the day on the island, the two men were preparing to leave when a couple, identified as Christopher Thomas John Yarema and Stephanie Lynn Burnham, approached shouting obscenities.

According to the police report, one gay men was wearing a Speedo-style swimsuit and it upset the couple.

One of the attackers yelled, “Hey, Mr. Speedo [expletive], get the [expletive] off our island.”

That was followed by Burnham shouting, “You have five seconds to get off, or I will kill you.”

Yarema then reportedly punched one of the men and broke his sunglasses. Burnham then slammed the same man with an oar.

When the man pushed her away in an attempt to defend himself, Yarema pulled out a knife and began slashing at the men yelling, “You knocked down my wife, I’m going to kill you!”

At one point, Yarema punctured the men’s dingy, but they were able to escape to their larger rental boat before it had completely deflated.

Once back onboard, the men were able to radio the U.S. Coast Guard for help.

The Sun-Sentinel reports that Yarema, a fisherman and roofer, has been charged with aggravated assault and causing property damage.

And Burnham, described as a Key West laborer, is charged with battery and causing property damage.

The boat rental company told the police the damage to the dinghy is estimated at between $2000 and $5000. The sunglasses that were broken in the scuffle were apparently worth about $800.

UPDATE: Suspect Arrested In Connection With Alleged Brooklyn Hate Crime

Alleged suspect in Brooklyn hate crime

UPDATE: A 25-year-old man, Brandon McNamara, has been arrested in connection with the gay bashing.

In partnership with the community, an arrest has been made in the 9-23-18 Hate Crime assault in Brooklyn in which a gay couple was brutally attacked. Grateful to those who contacted @NYPDTIPS & assisted the Hate Crimes T.F. quickly apprehend Brandon McNamara. #YourCityYourCall pic.twitter.com/o0PfZ1Zqqa

— Chief Dermot F. Shea (@NYPDDetectives) September 26, 2018

Brandon McNamara, 25, accused of attacking a gay couple in Williamsburg. Silent as he was walked out of NYPD 7th Precinct pic.twitter.com/rl1kR7fyL6

— Henry Rosoff (@HenryRosoff) September 26, 2018

****************************************

Two men were viciously attacked early Sunday morning as they left a gay bar in Brooklyn, New York.

According to ABC7, the two men - one 29-years-old, the other 34-years-old - had just left the Metropolitan Bar in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, when a man approaching them called out with a homophobic slur.

The incident quickly escalated with the attacker punching the 34-year-old in the face, and throwing the 29-year-old against a tree. Both were knocked unconscious.

The good news is a bystander managed to snap a fairly clear photo of the attacker as he ran away.

One of the victims suffered a broken finger, while the other had to be treated for a broken shoulder.

Speaking to ABC7, Aidan Pongrice, a neighbor in the area, urged people to take action.

“Not just to find and arrest this one person, we need people to take action to go out and vote and make sure that we don't have people and leaders in this country that actively dog whistle against my very existence," said Pongrice.

The New York Police Department are now asking anyone with any information about the incident or identifying the attacker in question to contact the NYPD Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-8477.

Watch the report below from ABC7.

Two Gay Men Attacked In Washington DC

William Southern in the ER after alleged gay bashing

William Southern, who recently moved to Washington, D.C., says he and a friend were the target of a violent hate crime this past Sunday.

In a post on his Instagram, Southern wrote that he and his friend, Robbie Barletta, were at the corner of 16th and U Street when the incident occurred.

According to Southern, they were attacked and beaten by mob of 4 men and a woman simply because they were gay.

Both men suffered several cuts and bruises, and Southern was sent to the emergency room for stitches to treat a split lip.

Southern posted photos of his injuries as well as their bloodied t-shirts.

But the social media post was not a ‘woe-is-me’ story. Southern makes it clear the incident only underscores his self-confidence in knowing who he is and living his life out loud.

“I will never stop being gay, I will never feel ashamed of who I am,” writes Southern. “Most importantly, I will never let anyone around me feel like less of a person simply because of who they are!”

He also thanked members of his Stonewall kickball league family for being there for him even though he’s a fairly new transplant to the DC area.

Southern closed his post with an upbeat message of community unity, writing, “May we stand strong and move forward.”

View this post on Instagram

So, this is extremely hard for me and I have not 100% settled on how I feel it. But, Sunday a friend of mine @robertandre and I were the target and the victims of a hate crime. We were attacked by 4 men and a women on the corner of 16th and U in Washington DC, simply because we were gay. The four men and the lady brutally attacked myself and my friend, I was sent to the ER where I received stitches to pull my lip back together. But, the moral of this story is not that it happened or for people to feel sorry for me. This is a statement, I will never stop being gay, I will never feel ashamed of who I am. Most importantly, I will never let anyone around me feel like less of a person simply because of who they are! I am fortunate enough to have an amazing support system even though I have only lived in DC for a few months. I am proud and honoured to be apart of @stonewallkickball, my kickball family came together and has given me amazing support and I never would have met them without the lady’s and gentlemen who were courageous enough to put together these teams to support LGBTQ rights and give them a safe haven to be themselves. May we stand strong and move forward.

A post shared by William Southern (@wsouthernxd) on Sep 18, 2018 at 1:54pm PDT

(h/t Towleroad)

Convicted Murderer: “Homosexuals Are A Disease To Mankind And Must Be Put Down"

Peter Avsenew

 A 33-year-old Florida man, who was convicted of the 2010 double homicide of a gay couple in the gay-centric neighborhood of Wilton Manors, will receive the death penalty.

While a court-appointed lawyer asked for mercy saying Peter Avsenew had been sexually abused by his stepfather as child and lost his sister to murder, Broward County Circuit Judge Ilona Holmes upheld the unanimous recommendation of the jury that he be put to death.

Avsenew was convicted last fall of the murders of Kevin Powell and Stephen Adams, a gay couple who had been together for 30 years.

According to prosecutors during the trial, Avsenew met the men through a sexually suggestive ad on Craigslist. After killing the couple, he stole their car, belongings and money.

At his sentencing hearing in January, the convicted killer flipped off members of the family in the court room after hearing the jury’s recommendation for the death penalty.

He told the judge at the time of sentencing he had no regrets and he was “proud of the decisions” he’d made in his life, according to the local ABC news affiliate.

While the judge could have spared his life, Avsenew sealed his own fate by writing a letter to the Holmes saying “It is my duty as a white man to cull the weak and timid from existence.”

“Homosexuals are a disease to mankind and must be put down,” he added. “These weren’t the first and won’t be the last.”

Missy Badget, a family member of one of the victims, said at the time, “After what happened in that courtroom just now, I'm happy that he's being put to the death penalty.”

Avsenew is the first convicted felon to receive the death penalty since a new law went into effect requiring a jury to be unanimous in its recommendation for execution.

(h/t Sun-Sentinel)

News Round-Up: August 15, 2018

(via Instagram)

 Some news items you might have missed:

• InstaHunk Julio Morales is happy to get to 38 in one piece. What was a birthday you felt proud of?

• A gay couple shared bloody pics of themselves after a homophobic attack in Belgium.

• Hot men took over the Red Dress Run this year and it was New Orleans fab!

• If you ever want to see a Fox News host yell at a Trump supporter, this may be your chance. Fox's Ed Henry called Katrina Pierson out for lying on-air the day before about Omarosa's allegations that Trump used the N-word.

• Twitter finally suspended InfoWars' Alex Jones for inciting violence. But just for a week...

• The latest Omarosa bombshell - Trump covets his daughter, Ivanka. #Oy...

• Is there a Designing Women reboot in the near future?

• As an effeminate gay actor, Corey Camperchioli was once teased for his feminine traits. Then he made a film project about it as he wears his femininity as a badge of honor.

Houston Man Attacked/Beaten Walking Home From Bar

Christopher Bradford

A gay man was violently beaten by a group of attackers as he walked home from a bar in the Montrose area of Houston.

Seconds before the brutal beating, Christopher Bradford says he remembers hearing footsteps running behind him.

From ABC13:

"Someone grabbed me from behind (and) threw me to the ground," Bradford said. "I was getting punched, kicked, and then, belt buckles we're flying at me."

Bradford said the attacker used the buckle end of a belt to hit him while he was down.

"Got me across the side of my head and I got four metal staples. They hit me with a rock in the forehead," he said.

Bradford said many people were around, but no one helped. He was on the phone with a friend when the beating started and that friend drove up, scaring the attackers off.

"There was blood everywhere. It was in my eyes. I couldn't see," he said.

He believed the attackers targeted him because he's gay.

"I kept asking why. I was like, 'What did I do? Why are you hitting me?'"

Caleb Tout (mugshot)

The suspect, Caleb Tout, 19, was later arrested. He reportedly told officers he was drinking and beat Bradford because he was looking for someone else who allegedly exposed themselves to Tout's girlfriend.

"You really don't know the intention behind it. One of them was laughing. They were getting amusement out of this," Bradford said.

Bradford says coming out of this incident, he's learned a lesson he'll never forget.

"I will never walk home alone. That's never going to happen again," he said.