Serial hate crimes are being committed in the, until recently, gay-friendly Dallas neighborhood of Oak Lawn, and it’s gotten so bad police have the area on lock-down. At least 12 gay men have been violently assaulted or robbed in the last three months – that’s one hate crime against the LGBTQ community a week, all in the same neighborhood.
LGBTQ Nation reports the “gayborhood has seen a frightening uptick in antigay bashings in recent months.”
The twelfth and most recent victim, Geoffrey Hubbard, was assaulted last Thursday, when the unidentified assailant(s) clocked him in the head with a large rock when he was heading to a friend’s house on foot. Hubbard is currently recovering from a fractured temporal bone and numerous stitches, as a result.
Local organization Rally for Change has been calling for a stronger police presence in the area for months, as well. The organization said in a statement:
“Survivors have been beaten with bats, stabbed with box cutters, pistol whipped and pummeled with fists. In several of these attacks, homophobic language has been used by the assailants. For weeks DPD has promised an increased presence in the neighborhood. When pushed on the fact that such an increase has been spotty and largely invisible, DPD has pointed to officer shortages and has now even suggested that the protection provided by our tax dollars is not enough and that we should pay for expanded patrols by off duty officers.”
Following Hubbard’s recent attack last Thursday, the area has reportedly been placed on “lock-down.” Authorities are urging folks to be prudent and “take care of each other.” Six or so more police officers have been assigned to the area, as well.
Mayor Mike Rawlings also made a point of going door-to-door in the neighborhood, Friday, to ease residents’ minds and let them know he is doing everything he can to take care of the issue, also informing them that the $5,000 reward for relevant information in the attacks offered by CrimeStoppers has been raised to $10,000.
No suspects have been identified at this time. As a result, Hubbard told local WFAA-TV, “I’m not saying avoid the streets and lock your doors, but don’t travel alone.”
Featured image via WFAA video screen capture.
