A gay couple in Missouri has gone public with a weekend ordeal that left both bloodied and in need of hospitalization. As the couple walked outside the Ameristar Casino in St. Charles, a group of men attacked them while yelling anti-gay slurs. Investigators in the case have yet to rule it a hate crime.
The names of the victims have not been released to the media, though one victim, a 29-year-old man, did agree to speak with local Fox affiliate Fox 2 on the grounds that he remains anonymous.
“I think about it a lot, especially with my boyfriend. He took a real beating for no reason,” the victim told Fox 2. “It felt pretty helpless. It was pretty scary.”
Related: His attackers yelled “f*ggot” as they beat him. Cops say it’s not a hate crime.
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He went on to describe leaving the casino around 1:30am on Saturday. His boyfriend had a bit too much to drink, and one victim had his arm around the other to help him walk as the pair exited the casino into a parking garage. Along the way they passed another group, where one man made a punching motion toward them.
“They saw me with my arms wrapped around him and that’s why they did that [hitting] motion and said [anti-gay slur],” the victim told reporters. “Obviously, when they said that, everything after that was out of hate, so it’s clearly a hate crime.”
The victim then confronted the man in question, at which point at least two men began beating him and his boyfriend. The victim in question suffered a fractured nose and eye socket; his injuries will require surgery. His boyfriend was knocked unconscious and will lose several teeth from the ordeal.
“As I’m crawling over to him,” the victim recalled, “I’m begging them, ‘Please stop. Please stop. We’re done.’ Then they hit me in the stomach, I say, ‘please, we’re done, we’re done.’ They say, ‘[profanity] right, you’re [profanity] done.’”
Surveillance cameras in the parking structure did capture at least part of the attack on video. Even so, police investigating the case are reluctant to rule the incident a hate crime.
“There’s a dispute as to what type of language was used back and forth,” Lieutenant Tom Wilkison, St. Charles Police Department said in a statement. “At this time, we don’t have anything to support that the two people got beaten up or targeted because of their sexual orientation.”
Under Missouri law, should investigators determine the crime was motivated by the victim’s sexual orientation, the charges in the case will elevate to a Class D felony, punishable by four years to seven years in prison.
The Ameristar Casino, for its part, has cooperated with the investigation and released a statement reassuring visitors that the security of its guests is the casino’s highest priority.
“How do we go anywhere and feel safe if we get attacked there, especially someplace like Ameristar, who should have top-notch security? If it happens there, it could happen anywhere,” the victim said.
Chrisk
Wow. 7 teeth knocked out is a serious beating and absolutely motivate by hate. How can you be on the fence on this? Multiple witnesses confirm what the guy says.
This was a hate crime no doubt. I’m not hopeful with the police though.
BoomerMyles
A hate crime is federal. The victims,should be filing a criminal report with the FBI.
dhmonarch89
the St. Charles, Missouri Police Force has a Facebook page- stop by and leave them a message. This page doesn’t post links- so, just do a search on FB for St Charles, Missouri Police Force.
Goforit
So if I yelled “Fu@#$%g Pig” as I am beating a police officer unconscious, would Lt. Wilkison consider that a hate crime?
Raphael
Doesn’t Missouri have open carry laws? I don’t think that you need a permit either… Gay people that live there, take note of that and protect yourselves.
Chrisk
Was thinking that too. Especially if the Police refuse to go after them.
Besides I’d love to hear a Bernard Goetz story. Shoot the thugs in the chest. Then shoot them in the back as they’re running away because you can never be too sure. That story gets out and this shit ends.
Monkey1
If you read a local news source, ksdk. com, you can get the full story. The police are talking to all parties and looking for video evidence to see if a hate crime really happened. Both parties were drunk of course. Reading the news story it appears the gay couple were stumbling through the parking lot, one leading the other, they almost bumped into the group of 4 guys, who made no attempt to move at first, then one did a juke step to get out of the way. The man who got the severe beating apparently yelled out in an aggressive manner and then the beatings started. It seems like once again, when an excess of alcohol is involved, it’s not so cut and dry. A beating yes, but a hate crime, so far the evidence doesn’t show that.
JAW
Who the HECK do you think you are???
Posting the full information that might show that they got beat up, not because they were Gay, but because they were drunk and stupid.
Just because I call someone a Bast ard does not mean I hate men. It mens that I just opend my mouth and said something stupid.
Hopefully the video will prove you correct.
Kevan1
Time to sue the state and the police department in Missouri.
Ziarang
A hate crime is federal.