Media reports emerged over the weekend indicating that two Denver men were attacked around 1:00am Sunday morning on May 26. According to these reports, the men were leaving an area nightclub and were holding hands when another man used a homophobic slur and attacked the couple with a knife. Both men sustained injuries and are now recovering.
According to the Denver Police Department, the incident is under an open and ongoing investigation. A detective with the bias-motivated crimes unit is currently focusing solely on this case and the incident is being investigated as a potential bias-motivated crime.
An arrest has been made in the incident, but charges have not yet been filed as DPD continues to investigate. The investigators are looking for surveillance video that may be of assistance as well as identifying and interviewing witnesses. If you know anything about this incident, please contact the Denver Police Department at 720-913-2000. You can also report tips anonymously at 720-913-7867.
“We are monitoring this situation carefully,” said Center CEO Debra Pollock. “We believe that the Denver Police Department is taking the incident seriously and is investigating all possible angles. While this is a very disturbing and frightening event to take place in our community, we are grateful for the support of law enforcement. We encourage anyone who may have knowledge of this incident to come forward and share your information with the police.”
The Center has also listed resources about how to report hate crimes on our website. “If you have experienced something similar, we encourage you to speak up,” Pollock continued. “We understand that this is a difficult and frightening subject. But by speaking up and sharing your story, you will be able to receive help and assistance.”