Gay man attacked outside popular Lauderdale eatery

[DemocratSinceBirth]

FORT LAUDERDALE - A gay man was beaten outside a popular 24-hour restaurant Saturday morning by a man who shouted anti-gay obscenities at him, authorities said.

Melbourne Brunner, 37, was eating with his partner at the Floridian restaurant, at 1410 E. Las Olas Blvd., around 3 a.m. when a man walked by their table and started shouting at the two men, said Sgt. Frank Sousa, spokesman for the Fort Lauderdale Police Department. Sousa said the man continued to verbally abuse the two men and made a violent motion with his hands, claiming, "this is how I break (gay people's) necks."

He said Brunner and his partner left the restaurant, but as Brunner tried to get into his car, the man blocked him and punched him in the face several times. Brunner fell and struck his head on the ground, Sousa said. He said the man then threatened to kill Brunner's partner, who attempted to get the man's license plate.


Police received the call about 3:20 a.m. Saturday, Sousa said, but by the time an officer got to the scene, everyone had left. He said an officer also missed Brunner, who had minor injuries, at the hospital.

Brunner reported the crime Monday, Sousa said.

He said that there is no evidence that the attack on Brunner is related to the Friday morning murder of Simmie Williams Jr., a 17-year-old openly gay youth who was killed in Fort Lauderdale. Williams, who was wearing a dress at the time, was shot in the 1000 block of Sistrunk Boulevard after getting into an argument with two men. The case remains unsolved.

Police are asking anyone with information about either case to call Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sfl-226floridian,0,6116359.story

[originalpckelly]

1. Pink Pistols, the best damn defense against the SOBs who'd do this:

http://www.pinkpistols.org/index2.html

As soon as I can, I'm getting a nug.

[xchrom]

2. think how often this happens and it isn't reported.

:grr: :nuke: :grr: