Anti-LGBT Attack in Bushwick

Three men have been arrested and charged with a hate crime following a shooting incident that occurred in Bushwick, Brooklyn.

Two men and a teenage boy followed the victim and two other men that were dressed in women's clothing, yelling anti-LGBT slurs at the group. One of the accused then shot at the group as they attempted to run away. The victim was hit in the buttocks and was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The attack happened around 7 a.m. in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Later, cops at the scene of the shooting recovered 6 gun casings. The accused men are facing crimes ranging from:

• Menacing and aggravated harassment
• Hate crime
• Assault
• Criminal possession of a weapon
• Second degree attempted murder

While the victim does not identify as transgender, it is believed he was attacked because he was wearing feminine clothing at the time of the shooting. In 2008, Bushwick was home to another anti-gay hate crime, and New York City has seen an overall spike in gay-bias crimes over the past year.

What is a hate crime?

A hate crime is a crime that has an element of deliberate hate behind it. This hate is leveled at a person's race, religion, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, or gender. When a person chooses to commit a crime against another person because of this person's identity, they can be charged with a hate crime.

By merely speaking about bias, a person is not implicating themselves for a hate crime. For example, if a person writes a blog about their feelings on a certain religion, they cannot be charged with a hate crime. However, if that person puts graffiti on a church as a result of this hatred, it is considered a hate crime.

If charged with a hate crime, a person may face a prison sentence, loss of fundamental rights, heavy fines to victims for restitution, mandatory rehabilitation, and more. Due to the high volume of media attention these cases also draw, a hate crime charge can also cause emotional distress and social stigma.