News (USA)

Indy gay bar owner claims alleged drive-by shooting a ‘hate crime’

Indy gay bar owner claims alleged drive-by shooting a ‘hate crime’

INDIANAPOLIS, Inc. — The owner of a gay bar in Indianapolis said he is certain that a blown out window at his establishment is more than a random act of violence, he thinks it may be a hate crime.

Police are investigating a possible drive-by shooting on Saturday night that left a large picture window at Gregs, a gay bar on East 16th Street, shattered, reported the Indianapolis Star.

Phil Denton, the who was working at the time, said he feels the bar was targeted because it caters to gays.

“It was obviously a bullet,” said Phil Denton, the manager who was working at the time. “We’ve had rocks thrown at us, and names shouted at us, but never before a bullet.”

Denton said that based on his discussions with bar patrons he believed a shot was fired from an eastbound car and that the car was “a Mercury or a Lincoln.”

He noted that gay bars traditionally covered their windows “to protect peoples’ identities, and to protect against rocks.” Several years ago Gregs, and several other local gay bars, uncovered its windows. “The times being what they are, and the acceptance coming around, we decided it was time,” Denton said.

Police said the window was shattered by “possible gunfire,” although no bullet was found; there are no suspects or witnesses, and there were no reported injuries.

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