Arrest made in gay pride attack

By Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk • August 2, 2006 - 0:00

Authorities said the assailants taunted their victims with anti-gay insults as they were beating them

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Police in San Diego yesterday said they have arrested one person in connection with the hate-crime attack on five victims at a gay pride festival ended Saturday night.

"We're still trying to put together what we've got. We've got one person in custody and the investigation is continuing," said Captain Chris Ball to The San Diego Union Tribune.

He did not release any other details about the arrest, The Union Tribune reports.

Police served a search warrant at an apartment on First Avenue in Park West in connection with the case and were questioning three people.

According to San Diego's NBC affiliate, police said three young men attacked the victims with baseball bats and a knife. The assault was an unprovoked hate crime that will be prosecuted as an attempted murder, city officials said.

The victims were confronted at about 1045pm on Redwood Circle, near the lawn bowling centre east of Sixth Avenue and north of Laurel Street. Authorities said the assailants taunted their victims with anti-gay insults as they were beating them.

"Clearly, these animals wanted to push these men back into the closet," Mayor Jerry Sanders said at a City Hall news conference on Monday. "We won't and shouldn't allow that to occur."

One of the victims, reports The North County Times, remained hospitalised with a fractured skull and may have to have possible reconstructive surgery. Another suffered superficial stab wounds.

Five detectives have been assigned to the case and Police Chief William Lansdowne expressed confidence that arrests will follow.

"I am absolutely convinced we will solve this crime," he said.

Councilwoman Toni Atkin told reporters, "The quicker we solve this crime, the safer the community will be."

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