15 Charged in Alleged Hate Crime Attack on Gay Man at Maryland College

Police in Maryland have arrested a total of 15 college students this month in an alleged hate crime attack against a Gay man.
On Friday, the Salisbury Police Department in Salisbury, Maryland announced three additional arrests in connection to an attack on a man on October 15, following the detention of 12 others earlier this month. Police in Salisbury, a city of 35,000 on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, stated Thursday that no additional arrests are anticipated.
Earlier this month, the Salisbury Police Department issued a press release on Facebook announcing the arrests of 12 individuals in connection to the attack.
“On October 31, 2024, the Salisbury Police Department was contacted by members of the Salisbury University Police Department regarding an assault that was alleged to have occurred in an off-campus apartment complex for college-aged students. Detectives met with witnesses and were able to observe cellular phone video of an adult male victim being assaulted by several college-aged men,” the police department said in the press release.
Police said that after meeting with the victim, who was not identified, they learned that a “group of men utilized a social media account and invited the victim to a residence within the 1400 block of University Terrace under false pretenses.”
The group of men then forced the victim to sit in a chair where they surrounded him and “kicked, punched and spit” on him while he was called “derogatory names.”
Charging documents allege that one of the defendants created a fake profile on a dating app to lure the victim with the promise of sex with a 16-year-old.
“The investigation revealed that the victim was targeted to due his sexual preferences,” police said.
The individuals arrested were all between the ages of 18 and 20.
The defendants are facing charges of assault and false imprisonment, as well as hate crime allegations for reportedly targeting the victim because of his sexual orientation, according to police.
Court records show that two of the three recently charged defendants do not yet have legal representation. The attorney for the third defendant declined to comment on the case.
Steve Rakow, the attorney representing one of the students previously arrested, strongly disputed the hate crime charge. He argued that the victim never reported the incident because he was attempting to engage in sexual activity with a teenage boy.
Salisbury University officials have denounced the attack and committed to ensuring the safety of LGBTQ+ students on campus. To demonstrate solidarity, the university organized a unity walk on Monday. The school also announced that the 12 individuals initially arrested were suspended.
In a statement responding to the incident, Salisbury University President Carolyn Ringer Lepre said, “Our community is reeling from an act of visceral hate. We are witnessing a campus filled with anguish that something so unspeakable could happen from within the community that we all love.”
“As we try to heal, we need to acknowledge the harm that hate and violence have brought to our campus, and we must listen to the voices of the LGBTQ+ community,” Lepre said. “Only together can we ensure there is no place for hate, no tolerance for intolerance, and no room for violence. We must commit to building a world where love is met with love, and every person is free to be themselves, without fear, without violence, and without prejudice.”
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.