Detroit man allegedly used Grindr to find gay people, shoot them dead
Demetris Nelson, 26, allegedly used the gay hook-up app to find unsuspecting robbery victims
A Detroit man is facing a first-degree murder charge after allegedly using Grindr to track down gay people and shoot them.
Police say that Demetris Nelson, 26, used the gay hook-up app to find unsuspecting robbery victims.
According to officers, Nelson is accused of shooting dead Brian Anderson, 31, and of wounding Malcom Drake, 26, on Saturday (July 6).
Drake was critically injured in the attack, but is still alive.
Detroit man ‘targeted victims for being gay’
Prosecutors believe the victims were targeted because they are gay.
Nelson is facing charges of first-degree murder, assault with intent to murder, assault with intent to rob while armed, and felony firearm possession.
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said in a statement: “The allegations are that social media contacts were used to target, contact, rob, fatally shoot one gay man and seriously wound another gay man.
To some, this will be just another hateful and violent act in America.
“To some, this will be just another hateful and violent act in America. They will read about this case and continue to go about their day. To me, that is quite tragic.”
In a statement to WJBK, Alanna Maguire of LGBT+ rights group Fair Michigan said: “We are saddened and outraged by this despicable crime.
“This case is just the most recent example of how members of Detroit’s LGBTQ community are too often targets of violence.
“The Fair Michigan Justice Project is proud to partner with the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office and the Detroit Police Department to aggressively prosecute these ruthless crimes.”
Case follows three suspected anti-LGBT killings
It comes just weeks after another unrelated spate of anti-LGBT killings in Detroit.
19-year-old Devon Robinson was charged with killing two gay man and a transgender woman, in an attack prosecutors believe was motivated by their LGBT+ identity.
A Detroit man was arrested. File photo.
At the time, Fair Michigan said: “This case illustrates the mortal danger faced by members of Detroit’s LGBTQ community, including transgender women of colour.
“The LGBTQ community knows that the Fair Michigan Justice Project, the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office and the Detroit Police Department stand ready to aggressively prosecute these brutal crimes.”
