A gang of ten teenaged thugs attacked two men in a grocery store parking lot and police are appealing for witnesses to come forward.
The men, who have not been identified, were waiting in the parking lot with friends for a ride in Bishop’s Stortford, U.K.
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The group of teens were wearing hoodies, but were identified as both male and female. The gang surrounded the two men while making homophobic slurs before launching their attack.
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One of the men was knocked unconscious during the attack; his cheek, eye socket, and nose were fractured. The other man suffered a split eyebrow and cuts and scrapes to his face. Both men were taken to the hospital.
“This despicable attack was completely unprovoked and left both men with serious injuries. They are being supported by specially trained hate crime officers at what is understandably a very difficult time,” local police investigator Gary Bangs said.
“Meanwhile, our inquiries are continuing to trace those responsible and we are appealing for anyone with information to please come forward. Did you see a large group of people in the area around the time stated? Any information, no matter how seemingly insignificant, could greatly assist our inquiries.”
“Hate crime can have a devastating impact on victims and the wider community as a whole and will simply not be tolerated.”
In 2018, Aaron McDonald, a gay man in Manchester, was sentenced to 12 years in prison for assault after he ran over a man who had called him an anti-gay slur with his car.
Surveillance video shows that there was some discussion between the two before the man punched McDonald and kicked him.
Instead of just walking away, though, McDonald got into his car and aimed it at the man, who was crossing the street with his friends. The man hit the windshield, breaking it, and McDonald continued to drive with his body on the hood of his car.
McDonald stopped suddenly and the victim rolled off the hood. He was caught on surveillance cameras running the man over again, dragging him for several feet until the back wheels of his cars went over the body.
He then drove home, drank some more wine, and went to sleep.
