Las Vegas gay couple attacked and stabbed in possible hate crime
One of the victims told police he recognized one of their attackers as a co-worker
A gay couple in Las Vegas claim they were attacked by a co-worker and another man outside of their home because of their sexual orientation, reports FOX 5 KVVU-TV.
Charles Clements says he and his boyfriend, Vincent, were ambushed outside of their home in central Las Vegas by two men on Thursday evening. Clements had gone to Walmart to pick up Vincent from work after his shift. But they were apparently followed — as they were trying to open the door to their home, the couple was ambushed.
“I was about to unlock the door, the next thing I hear, [Vincent]’s calling my name. I come back, I see my boyfriend fighting with the guy,” Clements said.
Vincent and the attacker fought, knocking over a glass table. The assailant then picked up shards of glass and began stabbing Vincent in the back while the other was kicking his ribs.
Clements intervened to protect his boyfriend, but was hit in the head and also stabbed with a glass shard. The men then escaped and drove away, and Clements called 911.
Both men were hospitalized after the incident, with Clements being released on Friday morning. Vincent was released from University Medical Center on Friday night, where he was treated for two broken ribs and a punctured lung.
Clements told FOX 5 that neighbors heard the attack and saw everything, but failed to call the police.
Vincent told responding officers that he recognized one of the attackers as a co-worker, and believes the assault was motivated by anti-gay bias.
“It was all about gay bashing,” Clements said. “The guy came up to my boyfriend’s job, calling him an abomination, calling him fag.”
Vegas Metro police are investigating, but no arrests have been made yet.
Clements’ uncle, Anthony Dillon, is helping the couple find a new place to live, because they no longer feel safe.
“I don’t want to be in this apartment no more because I’m afraid they’re going to come back,” Clements told FOX 5.
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