The LGBT community in Lincoln, Neb., is still looking for answers after a devastating attack targeting a lesbian woman.
The 33-year-old woman, whose identity is being kept private, says three masked men entered her home, bound her with zip ties and gagged her. The men then cut her body and carved gay epithets into her skin with knives, then poured gasoline on the floor and lit it with a match. They also painted homophobic slurs on the walls of her basement.
She was able to get herself to a friend’s home, where she called the police. The woman’s friend was able to confirm that the woman is openly lesbian, all but solidifying public opinion that the incident was a hate crime. A candlelight vigil was held in honor of the victim at the State Capitol Sunday night, drawing more than 500 people.
But police didn’t identify the attack as a hate crime — at least not right away. Initial reports of the incident said it was “too early ” to determine whether this could be considered a hate crime, while law enforcement officials said earlier they were not in a position to determine the motives of the people who committed the crime.
The incident has since been classified as a hate crime because it’s clear that the victim was targeted for her sexual orientation. But the confusion continues: police have been unable to identify any suspects in the incident, therefore they are not ruling out the possibility that the incident was a hoax.
“We met with the victim again yesterday. She wasn’t able to provide any descriptions, other than three men, maybe white, wearing masks,” said Katie Flood, Lincoln Police spokesperson. “We don’t have many leads.”
Others were sure the incident was a hate crime as soon as the news broke. Some even expressed anger that the police did not immediately consider the attack to be a hate crime.
“When someone takes the time to handcuff someone with a zip tie and carve derogatory comments or words into somebody else’s body, that’s sheer hate and at this point, this is a hate crime,” according to a neighbor who spoke to an ABC affiliate under condition of anonymity.
Many people and politicians, particularly those who lean conservative, argue that hate crimes laws and classifications are unnecessary because, as they argue, “all crimes are hate crimes” and should be prosecuted with the same degree of thoroughness and integrity. But those in marginalized communities, such as LGBT people, recognize that some crimes occur only out of hatred for a person’s difference.
“We are shocked and saddened by the report of an alleged hate crime involving a member of the LGBT community early Sunday morning,” Outlinc president Tyler Richard is quoted by the Wisconsin Gazette as saying . Our hearts go out the the victim, her family and close friends. Many in our community are understandably experiencing a great deal of sadness, anger and confusion. We look to our entire community to pull together in this difficult time.”
Camille Beredjick is a journalism student at Northwestern University and the founder and sole contributor of GayWrites.org, a daily LGBT news blog.
