Nov. 8 (UPI) — Twelve student suspects arrested in Salisbury, Md., on Thursday were charged in an alleged hate crime assault on a man targeted for his sexual preference, according to police.
Salisbury Police said in a statement that the victim, an adult man, was lured to an off-campus house under false pretenses Oct. 15.
Charged were 18-year-old Bennan Aird of Delaware, along with others from Maryland, including: 20-year-old Ryder Baker; 20-year-old Riley Brister; 19-year-old Cruz Cespedes; 20-year-old Dylan Earp; 19-year-old Elijah Johnson; 18-year-old Zachary Leinemann; 18-year-old Cameron Guy; 19-year-old Jacob Howard; 21-year-old Eric Sinclair; 19-year-old Patrick Gutierrez; and 20-year-old Dylan Pietuszka.
They were charged with assault first degree, false imprisonment, reckless endangerment and associated hate crime charges, according to police.
The investigation into the assault revealed the victim was targeted for his sexual preferences, according to police.
“When the victim responded to and entered the residence, numerous college-aged men surrounded the victim and forced him to sit in a chair isolated in the middle of the living room,” the police statement said. “After being forcefully seated, the victim was kicked, punched, and spit on while the men called the victim derogatory names.”
Police said the victim attempted to escape several times, but was repeatedly thrown to the floor. The attack lasted several minutes causing a broken rib and bruising throughout the victim’s body.
The assault was video recorded on one of the defendant’s phones, according to police.
Salisbury University said on X it has suspended the students arrested in the assault.
“The students arrested have been placed on suspension, in adherence with the University’s Code of Community Standards Policy,” said university president Carolyn Lepre in a statement. “This includes being restricted from campus and being unable to participate in academic coursework either in person or virtually.”
Lepre called the assault “truly horrifying.”
The university also suspended the fraternity Sigma Alpha Epsilon under the community standards policy.
Steve Rakow, a lawyer for defendant Riley Brister, told NBC News Friday, “It’s very unfortunate that Salisbury University has jumped to conclusions by suspending these young men before there has been any findings related to this incident.”
According to CNN affiliate WJZ, one of the arrested men pretended to be a 16-year-old on the LGBTQ Grindr dating app to lure the victim “for the purposes of having sexual intercourse.”
Another attorney representing one of the defendants alleged that this wasn’t a hate crime and the victim was not targeted for his sexual preference.
James L. Britt told the Baltimore Banner it was because the victim intended to have intercourse with a 16-year-old “child.”
In Maryland the legal age of consent is 16.
