SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — A judge signed a $50,000 arrest warrant Tuesday for a Bay Area man suspected of attacking a gay man at a downtown nightclub early Sunday because of his sexual orientation.
Watch the report from KGO-TV:
Cole White, 24, is wanted for assault and a hate crime enhancement, according to Santa Cruz police.
The Blue Lagoon is a popular gay-friendly bar. The victim, identified only as Chris, says he was near the bar when Cole White started aggressively yelling profanities at him.
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“Right in front of the Blue Lagoon, the person started yelling ‘fag’ at me,” Chris said, adding that he took a photo of White on his cell phone, which made the suspect even angrier.
“This is a very disappointing thing to hear that in our community, in this day and age, that we would have this kind of issue, this kind of intolerance, that someone would be attacked exclusively because of their sexual orientation. It is inexcusable and unconscionable,” says Zach Friend with the Santa Cruz Police Department.
White is no stranger to Santa Cruz police. He was arrested six times last year — most of which were for public intoxication.