Twelve Salisbury University students in Maryland face charges of assault and hate crimes after allegedly targeting a man “due to his sexual preferences” and luring him to an off-campus apartment, where he was then beaten, according to police.
The men, aged 18 to 21, were charged with first-degree assault, false imprisonment, reckless endangerment, and related hate crimes following the October 15 incident, per a statement from the Salisbury Police Department. Police reported that the victim was lured “under false pretenses” to an apartment, where he was immediately surrounded, forced into a chair, and assaulted with punches, kicks, and derogatory slurs.
One of the suspects allegedly connected with the victim on the LGBTQ dating app Grindr by posing as a 16-year-old. When the victim arrived, he was met by around 15 college-aged men who attacked him while using homophobic slurs, as detailed in charging documents. The assault lasted five to six minutes, leaving the victim with a broken rib and multiple bruises. Videos of the incident were reportedly recorded without the victim’s consent and later reviewed by police.
Attorneys for some defendants dispute the hate crime charges, claiming the incident was intended to expose someone attempting to meet a minor. Salisbury University has suspended the students involved, prohibiting them from campus and coursework participation. Additionally, the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, to which some of the students belong, was also suspended.
Salisbury University President Carolyn Ringer Lepre condemned the incident, emphasizing that violence toward LGBTQ+ individuals conflicts with the university’s values. Advocacy group PFLAG Salisbury expressed its dismay, noting the widespread distress the attack may cause within the LGBTQ+ community.
