OMG! Gay Male in Texas was stabbed, beat
and Set on fire in a HATE CRIME ATTACK!
Burke Burnett says he was punched in the eye, stabbed
with a broken beer bottle and thrown onto a lit burn barrel early Sunday at a
party in Reno, Texas.
According to The Dallas Voice: A 26-year-old gay man
says he was the victim of a brutal hate crime early Sunday in Reno, Texas — a
small town just east of Paris and about 100 miles northeast of Dallas.
Burke
Burnett said he was at a private party at about 1 a.m. when four men suddenly
attacked him, stabbing him at least twice with a broken beer bottle before
throwing him onto a fire. His attackers yelled things like “pussy-ass faggot,” “gay bitch” and “cock-sucking punk,”
Burnett said.
Burnett said it took 30 stitches to close stab wounds to his back and forearm, as well as a cut above his left eye. He also sustained second-degree burns and severe bruises.
“They knew I was gay,” Burnett said Monday. “I’m convinced they were trying to kill me.”
Burnett said it took 30 stitches to close stab wounds to his back and forearm, as well as a cut above his left eye. He also sustained second-degree burns and severe bruises.
“They knew I was gay,” Burnett said Monday. “I’m convinced they were trying to kill me.”
Jeff Sugg, interim chief of the Reno Police
Department, released a statement Monday afternoon saying: “The Reno Police
Department is currently investigating an aggravated assault that took place last
weekend. The investigation is ongoing and additional information will be
provided when available.”
Reno police officials declined to further discuss
their investigation.
Burnett said the officer investigating the case told him
the attack will be classified as a hate crime. But Burnett said his attackers,
whose identities are known, remain at large, and the officer told him it could
be two weeks before they’re arrested.
“I’m scared for my
life,” Burnett said, adding that he’s staying with a family friend.
“I’m scared to go home. These guys have nothing to lose.”
Burnett said he grew up in Paris and came out as gay when he was 15. He knows at least one of his attackers personally. Two of the suspects have been to prison and may be on parole, he said.
Burnett said he grew up in Paris and came out as gay when he was 15. He knows at least one of his attackers personally. Two of the suspects have been to prison and may be on parole, he said.
Burnett said he’s attended several parties at the
residence and was invited by his straight friend who lives there. He arrived at
the party several hours earlier with three gay friends. However, the group left
after someone at the party was overheard making anti-gay remarks such as,
“These faggots don’t deserve to be here. Somebody
needs to get them out of there.” Burnett said he didn’t hear the
remarks and wasn’t aware of them when he returned to the party later in the
evening with one of his girlfriends.
Burnett said he was sitting inside a large metal shed called “the party shop” when he was blindsided with a punch to his left eye. When he got up and tried to defend himself, one of his attackers stabbed him in the back with a broken beer bottle. Burnett called the stab wound “a kill shot” but said fortunately it didn’t puncture his lung.
Burnett said he was sitting inside a large metal shed called “the party shop” when he was blindsided with a punch to his left eye. When he got up and tried to defend himself, one of his attackers stabbed him in the back with a broken beer bottle. Burnett called the stab wound “a kill shot” but said fortunately it didn’t puncture his lung.
One of the suspects stabbed him a second time in the
right forearm — cutting into the muscle but missing an artery — before he was
thrown onto a lit burn barrel.
At that point, some of Burnett’s girlfriends managed to slow down the attackers enough so that he could escape to a vehicle. None of the other 20 people at the party attempted to stop the attack, he said.
Burnett’s girlfriends eventually drove him to a hospital in Sulphur Springs, about 30 miles away.
At that point, some of Burnett’s girlfriends managed to slow down the attackers enough so that he could escape to a vehicle. None of the other 20 people at the party attempted to stop the attack, he said.
Burnett’s girlfriends eventually drove him to a hospital in Sulphur Springs, about 30 miles away.
Burnett said he’s hoping none of his injuries are
permanent. He’s scheduled to return to the doctor on Friday.
Chivas Clem, one of Burnett’s gay friends who accompanied him to the party, contacted Dallas Voice and other media outlets about the attack Monday morning. Chivas, an artist who recently moved to Paris from New York City, said he fears people in the small, conservative town will try to brush the incident under the rug.
Chivas Clem, one of Burnett’s gay friends who accompanied him to the party, contacted Dallas Voice and other media outlets about the attack Monday morning. Chivas, an artist who recently moved to Paris from New York City, said he fears people in the small, conservative town will try to brush the incident under the rug.
“I intend to make sure
the Police Department follows through with this, and that the local press covers
it,” Chivas said. “When I saw him
[Burnett], I vomited because he looked so bad — and I
cried.”Another one of Burnett’s gay friends, Austin Holloman,
said he’s heard police are considering downgrading the charges to misdemeanors
because the attack occurred at a party. Holloman said he recently moved to Paris
to live with his partner, who’s from there and has known Burnett since
childhood.
“We don’t want people thinking this
is OK in this area,” Holloman said. “We plan on being here
forever.”
THIS IS ABHORRENTLY AWFUL…..TAKE ACTION NOW!!!
Contact Texas Officials and let them know your
thoughts! Your leaders that you must contact asap!!!
http://cornyn.senate.gov/public/, http://hutchison.senate.gov/, http://kaygranger.house.gov//index.cfm?sectionid=149§iontree=149
Also you can contact The SAFE-T CRISIS
CENTER provides Advocacy to victims of violent crime, without regard to
race,age,religion or sexual preference or
orientation.
903-783-1313
903-783-1313
LETS HOPE JUSTICE PREVAILS!
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