Utah
Utah police investigating attack on gay couple as hate crime
Estimated learn time: 1-2 minutes
SANDY — Police mentioned on Wednesday that an assault towards a homosexual couple in suburban Salt Lake Metropolis is being investigated as a hate crime.
Stefanie Peacock mentioned her 18-year-old son, Christian, and his boyfriend Jacob Metcalf, additionally 18, had been attacked simply after midnight Saturday. They had been standing outdoors of the Peacocks’ house in Sandy, a 97,000-person suburb southeast of Salt Lake Metropolis. A video recorded by Metcalf and posted on social media exhibits younger males utilizing homophobic slurs whereas Christian Peacock calls for they go away.
An altercation ensued and a strike may be heard on the video. Peacock can later be heard saying, “You suppose you’ll be able to simply hit individuals?” Then, the teenager who the couple says was the attacker known as Peacock a derogatory slur once more, in accordance with the video. Peacock later went to the hospital to be examined for accidents and a concussion, his mom mentioned.
A 17-year-old was arrested after the incident on suspicion of assault, Sandy Police Sgt. Greg Moffitt instructed The Related Press on Tuesday. No prices have been filed and the suspect was not named as a result of he’s a minor.
When prices are filed, Moffitt mentioned police deliberate to complement a misdemeanor assault cost with a hate crime enhancement as a result of “it was very apparent that the suspect knew (Peacock) was a homosexual man and he was focused for that.”
“We would like our residents to know and we would like the general public to know that if this occurs in our metropolis we’re not going to tolerate it. If it is a hate crime we will pursue it as a hate crime,” Moffitt mentioned.