Charleston police investigating downtown assault as possible hate crime
Charleston police said Tuesday they are investigating a possible hate crime after two suspects reportedly yelled homophobic slurs at a man in downtown Charleston shortly before punching him multiple times over the weekend.
Officers responded to the scene at Calhoun Street, near King Street, around 2:30 a.m. Saturday.
The victim, who police have not identified, had stopped to help a man sitting on the sidewalk who seemed ill. Minutes later, officers said, a group of people approached and pulled the unwell man away from the victim.
Concerned for the well-being of the man he had stopped to help, the victim followed the group. That’s when police say two men began to yell homophobic slurs at the victim.
“The victim told the two men he was not confrontational, and didn’t want to fight, but the two men then approached and punched the victim multiple times,” police spokesman Charles Francis said in a statement.
The victim was able to flee and called 911 for help. Charleston Police responded along with Charleston County EMS, who treated the victim at the scene before he was ultimately transported to the hospital with minor injuries.
The incident comes as the nation recognizes gay pride month. When asked if the victim involved in the incident identifies as a member of the LGBTQ community, Francis said, “That’s a question for the victim.”
On the weekend of the assault, a Park Circle Pride event was being held in neighboring North Charleston. Another Charleston Pride event will be held later in the fall.
“Hate motivated crimes will not be tolerated in the City of Charleston,” police Chief Luther Reynolds said in a statement Tuesday. “Although we cannot comment specifically about ongoing investigations, we can say that the City of Charleston has a Hate Intimidation Ordinance and will thoroughly investigate this incident.”
While South Carolina remains one of the only states without a hate crimes law on its books, the city of Charleston in 2018 passed its own “hate intimidation” ordinance.
The city’s hate crime ordinance came three years after downtown Charleston’s Mother Emanuel AME Church, a historically Black church, was the site of a hate-fueled mass shooting by a self-avowed white supremacist. He killed nine Black parishioners during their weekly Bible study on June 17, 2015.
The city law states people will be punished if they have the intent to intimidate another person because of their actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or mental disability or national origin.
Saturday’s incident will be yet another test of the city’s hate crime ordinance. In October, police said they were investigating a possible hate crime against a member of the LGBTQ community after a man accused the victim of following him, used an anti-gay slur and then threw a phone charger at the victim’s car before pulling out a gun.
“During Pride Month, Charleston Police Department wants the LGBTQ+ community to know that the department supports them and that prejudice precipitated violence will not be accepted,” Reynolds said.
This story was originally published June 8, 2021 at 4:06 PM.
