Man Attacked in Suspected Gay Bashing Dies - Washington Blade

Man attacked in suspected gay bashing dies
Police appeal for help, offer reward
By LOU CHIBBARO JR, Washington Blade | Sep 18, 10:44 AM

A gay Maryland man who was attacked Sept. 7 as he and a friend were en route to D.C. gay club BeBar has died, changing what police had listed as an assault and robbery case into a homicide investigation.

Tony Randolph Hunter, 27, of Clinton, Md., was pronounced dead at Howard University Hospital at 4:14 p.m. Wednesday, police said. Hunter died 10 days after police found him unconscious near Eighth and N Streets N.W., about a block from BeBar.

Acting Lt. Brett Parson, who oversees the police Gay & Lesbian Liaison Unit, said detectives from the department’s Third District had been investigating the incident as a possible anti-gay hate crime due to the location of the assault.

According to a police report and accounts by Hunter’s friends, the incident began when Hunter and his friend, Trevor Carter, parked their car and were approached by four men. One of the men asked, “What’s up?” The police report says the men then punched Hunter and Carter, knocking them to the ground.

Eric Rhodes, a friend of both victims, said Carter told him that he swung back at the attackers before running from the scene to seek help.

Rhodes said Carter assumed Hunter also was fleeing the scene, but Carter learned a short time later that Hunter had been knocked unconscious by the attackers.

Officers arrived at the scene after receiving a call about an unconscious person at 11:30 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 7. According to their report, a set of car keys and $15 in cash was taken.

The police report describes the attackers as four black males appearing between 19 and 22 years old, each wearing blue jeans and t-shirts.

Carter, who suffered injuries that were not life threatening, was treated and released from a hospital the same night of the incident, police said.

In a statement released shortly after 9 p.m. Wednesday, D.C. police issued an appeal for help in identifying the suspects in the case, asking anyone with information to call 202-272-9099. Police said all statements are confidential.
Information also can be sent to the department’s text tip line by text messaging 50411.

The statement notes the department is offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for Hunter’s murder.