Gay bashing victim dies

By Marc Shoffman • October 16, 2006 - 0:00

The suspects allegedly met Sandy in an Internet chat room for gay men and lured him to the cruise spot Plumb Beach on the pretence of having sex

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The gay man who was brutally beaten and then hit by a car near a popular New York gay cruise spot has died.

Michael Sandy died on Friday after his family removed him from life support, after being attacked in Brooklyn last week,

According to Newsday, the 29-year-old's family decided to remove him from the respirator after observing his birthday last Thursday at the hospital.

The suspects allegedly met Sandy in an Internet chat room for gay men and lured him to the cruise spot Plumb Beach on the pretence of having sex.

Brooklyn district attorneys told Newsday that they may add to the charges facing three men who have been held in connection with the attack.

John Fox, 19, Gary Timmins, 16, and Ilye Shurov, 20, have been charged with assault and attempted robbery, both during the commission of a hate crime.

They have been arraigned and are being held at Rikers Island without bail.

Another suspect, Anthony Fortunato, 20, was questioned and released earlier this week.

The Daily News reports that according to criminal complaints released yesterday, the suspects, all from Sheepshead Bay, jumped Sandy when he arrived at Plumb Beach.

"While there, Shurov dragged Mr. Sandy out of his car, punched Mr. Sandy, and Mr. Sandy then ran onto the Belt Parkway" and was struck by a car, according to the Daily News, quoting from the complaints. "After Sandy had been struck…and was laying on the ground, informants observed Shurov go through his pockets."

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