News (USA)

Gay Asian man & his parents beaten near Kamala Harris’s home in DC by man yelling slurs

Observatory Circle neighborhood in Washington DC
Observatory Circle neighborhood in Washington DC Photo: Eric T Gunther, CC BY 3.0

A gay Asian man and his parents were beaten in Washington D.C. near Vice President Kamala Harris’ home by a man shouting slurs.

Patrick Joseph Miller Trebat was arrested at the scene on charges of felony assault, simple assault, destruction of property. The attack was noted as a potential hate crime.

Related: Out Rep Mark Takano knows anti-Asian bias attacks show “the long reach of Trumpism”

Trebat started following Sean Lai and his parents as they walked in DC’s Observatory Circle neighborhood, near the Vice President’s official residence and the National Cathedral. Lai and his family live in the area as well.

The man called Lai a “faggot” and shouted “You are not Americans!” at the group before launching his attack.

All members of the family were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The hate crime enhancement only notes the three victims’ “actual or perceived national origin” but does not include a mention of the anti-gay slur.

“Victim 3 [Lai] states that he and his family tried to cross the street to create distance between them and Suspect 1. Victim 3 states that he heard Defendant 1 call him and his family ‘faggots’ and that he heard D-1 exclaim, ‘You are not Americans!’ before D-1 began to assault his family,” the police report documents.

“V-1 [Lai’s mother] stated that D-1 assaulted her husband V-2 [Lai’s father], causing him to fall to the ground,” the affidavit continues. “V-1 states that D-1 then pushed her to the ground, causing the listed injury. V-2 stated that D-1 came from behind and struck him with a closed fist in the back of the head, causing him to fall to the ground,” according to the affidavit.

“V-3 states he turned around and observed D-1 assault his parents. V-3 intervened and pushed D-1 away from his parents, ensuing in a physical struggle between V-3 and D-1.”

Officers nearby quickly intervened and arrested Trebat mid-attack.

Trebat was released from jail two days later as part of the court’s High Intensity Supervision release program. He will return to court in November.

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