US: Gay 17-year-old beaten and called ‘faggot’ after lured to skate park by a friend
A gay 17-year-old was lured to a skate park in Texas by a friend and then severely beaten by the girl and two others while being called “faggot” and “booty lover.”
Dylan Beard said the girl had asked him to come meet her at a skate park in Bayton on 12 October.
When he arrived, he said he was then jumped by two of her male friends who kicked him in the face and ribs and hurled anti-gay abuse.
Speaking to KHOU, he said: “They all started hitting me, got on the ground, hit me and punched me.
“It’s tough being gay. It’s tough. Because we are out of the norm I guess.”
Jennifer Beard, the victim’s mother, said: “His face was swelled, his nose was broken, he bit through his tongue, his bottom teeth were chipped, his knees were scabbed everywhere.
“It was horrendous, I just couldn’t even believe what I was seeing… It scares me now that he can be jumped because he’s gay.”
The girl is facing an assault charge, but Jennifer said she contacted local community activist and Nation Of Islam activist Quanell X after becoming frustrated at the local police’s lack of response.
At a press conference on Thursday, Quanell accused the police of negligence by allegedly ignoring witnesses, refusing statements, and openly insulting Beard.
He has since filed a hate crime complaint with the FBI.
“We are asking for the department of justice to step in and investigate this assault as a hate crime. It was planned to target him because he’s gay,” he said.
Baytown police say they are still investigating the case.
