[ad_1]
By Tim Fitzsimons
The Salt Lake City police identified the suspect in an alleged hate crime filmed over the weekend.
The alleged attack took place early Sunday morning in downtown Salt Lake City, just three blocks south of the Salt Lake Temple, in the center of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Days.
Sal Trejo, 29, said that he was leaving a bar when he heard someone close to him talking on the phone about the possibility of standing by one. homosexual.
"It started with the fact that he approached us unannounced and made homophobic and misogynistic comments about our group," Trejo wrote. a statement posted on Twitter. Trejo then said that he had started recording a video of "the drunk man," who "continued to hit me and push one of our friends."
A video posted on Twitter by Trejo seems to show a young man asking him: "Are you gay, then?", To which Trejo, who is off camera, can be heard by replying, "Oh, I am." The man then says, "Okay, so you're gay," while he's throwing a punch.
"We immediately called the police," Trejo said in his statement on Twitter. He then pulled out a knife and pointed at us while continuing to call us fagots.He eventually escaped, got into his car (in a state of drunkenness) and took the railroad until it quickly moved away from Main Street. "
According to detective Greg Wilking of the Salt Lake City Police Department, the police reportedly contacted the suspect.
"We hope he'll come talk with us, but nothing is still etched in the marble," Wilkings said. The police refused to reveal the name of the suspect.
Wilkings said the ministry was still trying to talk to the witnesses involved and search for all the video surveillance footage available in the area.
As to whether the crime will be "reinforced" by accusations of hate crimes, "it all boils down to the prosecutor's office," said Wilkings. "It is under investigation as a possible hate crime, but we obviously have to do our job, investigate and see where it leads us."
State Senator Derek Kitchen, who is gay and represents District 2, which covers downtown Salt Lake City where the attack occurred, said: "The crimes motivated by Hate are especially serious because they have two victims: the individual who is attacked and represent her. "
"Our current hate crime law does not list" prejudice "or" hatred "and does not include specific groups to protect," Kitchen said. "We need a hate crime law that really works, it's time for Utah leaders to mobilize and support the LGBTQ + community."
FOLLOW NBC OUT ON TWITTER, FACEBOOK & INSTAGRAM
[ad_2]
Source link