D.C. Man Hurls Anti-Gay Slur in Logan Circle Assault
A D.C. man was charged with assault in a possible hate crime after throwing punches and shouting anti-gay slurs at a passerby.
The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating an assault in Logan Circle in which a man allegedly threatened violence against a passerby in what may have been a hate crime.
The incident happened around 10:30 a.m. on September 15 at 14th and R Streets NW. Police say the suspect, identified as 39-year-old Marshall Baxter, jumped in front of the victim — a neighborhood resident — and swung his fists, narrowly missing them.
According to an MPD press release, Baxter, who has no fixed address, allegedly shouted a homophobic slur at the victim.
Officers arriving at the scene arrested Baxter, who has been charged with one count of simple assault with a bias enhancement, meaning police believe the attack was motivated by anti-LGBTQ animus.
The case remains under investigation, with MPD pursuing it as a potential bias-motivated crime alongside the department’s Special Liaison Branch.
It is unclear whether the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia will pursue the bias enhancement, which could carry a longer sentence than the assault charge alone. Historically, prosecutors in the District have been reluctant to bring hate crime charges except in extreme cases, arguing that it is often more difficult to prove intent in court.
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