[ad_1]
SALT LAKE CITY – The Salt Lake Police announced Monday they had been in contact with a man involved in a potential hate crime in which a man had been assaulted after being interrogated to find out if he was gay.
The name of the man was not immediately published, but the police said in a tweet that he "cooperated fully".
Many people have reacted angrily on social media after a 8 seconds video clip of the incident was posted Sunday night.
The incident occurred around 1:30 Sunday, about 341 S. Main.
The video, shot on a sidewalk in downtown Salt Lake City, is recorded by the alleged victim. It all starts with a man asking, "Are you gay?"
"Oh, I am," says Sal Trejo.
"Oh, so you're gay," repeats the man.
Moments after saying this, the man is seen on the video throwing a punch at Trejo. The cell phone shakes as other witnesses to the incident can be heard saying, "Are you making fun of me?"
Trejo posted a statement on Facebook saying he and his friends were leaving a downtown bar when "a man in a state of intoxication" approached them to make "homophobic and misogynistic comments".
The actions of the man were disturbing enough for Trejo to take out his mobile phone and start recording it. He stated that the man had hit him and shoved a woman from his group.
Trejo said his group immediately called the police. It was then that the man "took out a knife and pointed at us while continuing" to make homosexual insults, Trejo said.
He added that the man was then stuck in a car, probably a 2007 BMW X5, and had run at full speed on the Main Street TRAX lines.
"This man is dangerous and must be held responsible," Trejo said.
The Salt Lake police retweeted the video clip Sunday night with the following message: "We are asking anyone with information about this case to call 801-799-3000."
The detectives of SLCPD contacted the suspect who cooperates fully with the #investigation.
– SLC Police Service (@slcpd) February 18, 2019
Sgt Salt Lake Police Brandon Shearer confirmed Monday that the case was under investigation as a possible hate crime. Shearer said the detectives were getting leads and following them.
The suspect contacted the police on Monday after visibly watching the video and its reaction on social media.
It was not immediately known if there is a longer version of the video, if other people have also recorded the incident or if surveillance cameras of downtown businesses have captured the ### 39; incident.
While friends shared Trejo's message on social media, tips began arriving Sunday. But most of the time, people have reacted angrily on social media when sharing the incident.
"If it does not make you mad, I do not know what will happen," wrote Moudi Sbeity on Facebook. "I'm shaking while we're talking … My friend Sal was attacked last night on Main Street for his homosexuality, which is why we need to include the LGBTQ + community in the hate crime legislation."
"Share this so that people can see the reality of what LGBTQ people are facing," said another man.
The alleged abuser is a white man aged about 20, measuring for the last time a forest green t-shirt, blue jeans, camouflage print shoes, a silver watch and a Louis Vuitton belt. .
Utah lawmakers are studying the SB103 at this year's legislative session, a bill sponsored by Senator Daniel Thatcher of R-West Valley City, which aims to strengthen the penalties provided to victims due to their race, religion, sexual orientation or other characteristics. But Senate Speaker Stuart Adams recently said that a majority of Republicans in the Senate did not support the bill.
Related stories
[ad_2]
Source link