Candle Light Vigil for Tony Randolph Hunter

Tonight, there was a candle light vigil for Tony Randolph Hunter in our neighborhood.  Tony and his friend were attacked on their way to BeBar on September 7 at the corner of 8th and N Streets.  Tony did not survive his injuries and passed away 10 days later.  The police report describes the attackers as four black males between 19 and 22 years old with each wearing blue jeans and a T-shirt. 

The vigil began with a memorial service at Metropolitan Community Church, where Tony's friends remembered him and members of the GLBT community urged city leaders to act to better protect our safety.  In addition, an individual spoke about how he suffered a similar beating due to his sexual orientation in Adams Morgan and the revitalization of a group called GLOV (Gays and Lesbians Opposing Violence) to organize the community.  About 150 people then walked from the church up 5th Street, across O Street to 9th Street walking past BeBar, then to the area of 8th and N Street where Tony was found unconscious.

Police are reportedly close to making an arrest and have not classified this horrible act as a hate crime, a robbery, or a seemingly senseless attack.  Regardless of the perpetrators' motivation, it is yet another act of violence in our neighborhood and we should all be united in our outrage.  With crime cameras on every other block, shotspotter, and a surge of police officers stationed nearby, this continues to go on.   Outrage is not enough.  Those who have any information on this or any other crime in our neighborhood need to start speaking out and doing it now.