Gay Soldiers Attacked In Possible Hate Crime, Withhold Identities Due To DADT (GRAPHIC VIDEO)

Two soldiers were bloodied and beaten outside of a Colorado Springs restaurant in an apparent hate crime.

One of the victims -- using the name Chris to protect his identity -- is gay and told News First 5 that it started when a group of men and women took issue with their clothing.

"We walked in and immediately one black male started making remarks like, 'faggot.'"

Things escalated when the soldiers decided to leave and headed for the parking lot.

"I turn around and my friend was getting stomped by six black males," the victim said. "Another female friend of mine was trying to fight off three or four men."

Chris's friend's jaw was shattered and had to be wired shut.

The Advocate reports that the victims are keeping their identities secret because the military's Don't Ask Don't Tell policy is still in effect.

"I don't need people higher up knowing," one soldier said. "I still have to protect myself as far as on the military side."

DADT was repealed last year, but the policy will remain in effect until as late as August.

Police are still looking for suspects.

WATCH (GRAPHIC VIDEO):

Comments

[Tim Haselden]

01:21 AM on 07/16/2011

So, they're good enough to fight,bleed & die for you but not to walk the streets. Doesn't the fact they are serving deserve them of some respect?

[troyrobertdavid]

02:26 PM on 07/07/2011

These people who attacked these soilders are pathetic. These are people willing to fight and die for your freedom and this is how you treat them? Like I said, PATHETIC!

[Vampyre Dog]

10:57 AM on 07/07/2011

Why would you attack gay people. Generalizing here but as a group they are usually very polite and civil.

[duckpuddle]

01:32 PM on 07/07/2011

fear of difference
fear of change
fear of the unknown
fear

[practiceempathy]

01:50 PM on 07/07/2011

We are a patriarchal society.

When very young, boys learn that the gravest offense against the gender and against society is abandoning the masculine in favor of the feminine: "Don't cry, you're such a girl," or "You run like a girl!"

When gay men live as openly gay, or when men appear to be gay, they have seemingly traded a male identity for a female identity, choosing a male partner.

There is revulsion on many levels, and some people cannot handle it. And it's been drilled into their heads since childhood that effeminate or gay boys/men are one of the acceptible kinds of people to disrespect and mistreat.

[JessCostello]

10:24 PM on 07/06/2011

I wonder if they were fellow military personnel? The black population of Colorado Springs is only 6.56%

[wernerholm]

08:18 AM on 07/07/2011

Of course they were! This was obviously a staged "event" so that the Army would have "proof" that gay soldiers are going to be a problem, AND aren't capable of defending themselves.

They will stage other events like this, and then reasses DADT and keep it around

They call it "fun and games" it's what they do.

[duckpuddle]

01:35 PM on 07/07/2011

Your comment is absurd. Who stands to gain by a staged event? Your imagination fills in what your logic lacks.

Based on what's being reported, they gay soldiers are not the problem. The presumably heterosexual soldiers are the problem.

[ccjmfk]

04:35 PM on 07/06/2011

After reading several comments, I am familiar with the Colorado Springs area, spending a lot of time at Fort Carson. I am reading many cynical comments that because of the conservative Christian nature of the area that this hideous crime would be tolerated. Rest assured my cynical friends this crime will be treated for what it is, a cowardly attack on individuals minding their own business. The Christian right do not own the law enforcement or the courts in Colorado Springs and when found these "persons" will face justice. P.S. there will be no problem finding 12 people for a jury, not everybody in Colorado Springs or Colorado, for that matter are homophobic gay haters, not even close.

[JohnFromCensornati]

02:58 PM on 07/06/2011

Imagine that! A hate crime in the capital of Evangelistan.

[Jahoda]

07:07 PM on 07/06/2011

Imagine that, six black people committing a hate crime. This can't be a hate crime. Only straight white males are capable of hate.

[JohnFromCensornati]

07:03 AM on 07/07/2011

"Only straight white males are capable of hate"

Nope. Xians are pretty good at it. They come in all colors.

[duckpuddle]

01:39 PM on 07/07/2011

Sorry, it looks straight white guys are even losing their grasp on hate crimes. Pity.

[Vampyre Dog]

08:31 PM on 07/06/2011

I'm sure these guys were evangelicals.

[ccjmfk]

04:39 PM on 07/06/2011

Two vs six? Especially when jumped. Really, not even Navy Seals, well maybe Navy Seals, can face those odds. Military people are tough but are not Superman.

[JessCostello]

10:27 PM on 07/06/2011

It wasn't two versus 6. Not that it really matters. The truth is that most military personnel are in support roles and aren't given very good combat training.

[Ben F]

05:16 PM on 07/06/2011

6 military personnel to 2 military personnel is a fair fight? (Who else is on a military base, smart guy?) And the right thing to do is go find people to gang up to get revenge? You actually claim to be on the right-wing side of the issue, yet your idea of the morally superior action is to take illegal, vengeful action? Some Jeebus-loving, Constitutionalist patriot you are. You are a confused person, like most anti-gay people.

[bayonet division]

05:06 AM on 07/13/2011

Quite a few civilians are on a military base, unless it's a closed post. Civilian workers, bf/gf's, or guys and gals looking to hook up with a soldier, federal cops, contractors, etc, etc. And yes, common criminals can make their way onto most posts pretty easily.

[josie klapper]

02:15 PM on 07/06/2011

I don't believe that the "pre-adolescent mind set" is where you seem to believe it is. If I recall the term is "Projecting" in the DSMIV.

[Coloradem]

02:16 PM on 07/06/2011

First, homosexuality is as normal as lefthandedness and occurs in humans about as often.

Second, "they" (the military) do not make their rules...we (the taxpaying citizens of the United States) do. They work for us.

Third, the issue here is gay bashing. It is too bad that these soldiers didn't have their sidearms with them so they could have blown away a few of these thugs. Any gay person who lives in a concealed carry state that isn't armed at all times is asking for trouble. It is time to stop relying on the police for protection (as we've seen in Denver, they are all to willing to join in on the gay bashing) and start shooting back.

[sapperdom]

11:57 AM on 07/06/2011

This is EXACTLY why DADT must go away. Gay victims are too afraid to tell anyone--and the perpetrators get away with it, only to do it again and again.

[josie klapper]

02:05 PM on 07/06/2011

DADT needs to hurry up and die, but not for that reason. I expect that these soldiers will have their unit get their 6 over this...

[JessCostello]

10:28 PM on 07/06/2011

They weren't too afraid to tell anyone, heck the C.O. gets a briefing on this from the staff judge advocate.
I'm sure the whole command knows who these folks are.

[Misty5]

09:26 AM on 07/06/2011

Why can't people just mind their own business and leave people alone!! I'm not into the gay stuff, if that is your thing so be it. As long as you aren't forcing in onto someone else, I don't care what you do. I don't want to see it flaunted in front of me, just like I don't want to see a heterosexual couple flaunting it in front of me either. Get a room if you want to get that involved around other people. I do agree with the don't ask, don't tell for the military. These soldiers have to be totally focused on what they are doing on the front lines and behind. Any distraction could me their own life as well as their buddies lives. This goes for whatever your sexual preference is. But I don't care what you are into, but just because you have gay preferences doesn't give anyone the right to attack and assault you. The guilty parties should be punished to the max. And I thank any and all of our military members both male and female, for the sacrifices that they are making for our country. May God keep all of you safe while both at home and away. Many thanks to you from me. I wish those of you that were injured a speedy recovery.

[juancapez]

10:45 AM on 07/06/2011

oh, brother...

[Jerry Villano]

03:09 PM on 07/06/2011

I agree....oh, brother!

[TBJ]

03:36 PM on 07/06/2011

"I don't hate gays, I just don't want to see any evidence of their disgusting existence, is all."

[Joel Cleaver]

06:59 AM on 07/06/2011

Oh sure ok... and if a rock gets kicked up on the highway and cracks your window, is that a hate crime too?

[gapeach30904]

10:33 AM on 07/06/2011

WTF?

[gapeach30904]

10:40 AM on 07/06/2011

say what????

[street prophet]

04:53 AM on 07/06/2011

i'm not gay no way shape or form but they shouldn't been attacked for being gay and minding there own business

[juancapez]

10:40 AM on 07/06/2011

what a coincidence:

I'm in no way shape or form black/latino/jewish/muslim/female but no one should be attacked for being black/latino/jewish/muslim/female and minding there(sic) own business.

[Vampyre Dog]

02:34 PM on 07/06/2011

Hmmm, you left someone out of your list. Interesting.

[JessCostello]

10:29 PM on 07/06/2011

Why did you leave White people out?

[duckpuddle]

01:49 PM on 07/07/2011

Why do you have to shove your straightness down our throats?

[wwaynemcg]

04:42 AM on 07/06/2011

You mean blacks aren't tolerant of others not like them? And here all along I thought only whites could be guilty of hate crimes. Silly me.

[juancapez]

10:44 AM on 07/06/2011

you are silly! of course whites aren't the ONLY people who can be guilty of hate crimes. it's just they've had more practice so they're better at it.

[Jerry Villano]

03:13 PM on 07/06/2011

Okay...tell that to the Rwandan Tutsi who where murdered by the hundreds of thousands because the Hutu didnt like them. Dont pretend that other races are any different when it comes to hate...we all have the same amount of practice.

[JessCostello]

08:06 PM on 07/06/2011

Umm not really. Whites are actually underrepresented among hate crime suspects. African Americans are vastly overrepresented. Go look up the FBI database on hate crimes.

[Steve Reaves]

10:44 AM on 07/06/2011

Nope. Idiots come in all colors.

[copelli21]

10:49 AM on 07/07/2011

Finally, someone gets it right!

[eyeforeye42]

04:36 AM on 07/06/2011

I would be nervous if I beat someone who at times possesses an instrument to kill. Accidents do happen and fragging has occurred in the past. No need to catch and punish by military command when a soldier can take care of it in other ways.

[josie klapper]

01:51 PM on 07/06/2011

Wouldn't be surprised if that is what eventually happens... Went with on a few "local recon's, punitive" myself when guys in my unit were attacked by locals...

[josie klapper]

02:16 PM on 07/06/2011

And have a long tradition of doing so...

[cavekarst]

03:24 AM on 07/06/2011

I've had six on one and took a beating too. When I woke up it was on my back atop
hard flooring surrounded by Nuns. Mother Superior convinced me I was not dead
before my ambulance arrived. I was afterward promoted to motor officer duties. Hate
crimes are varied. What I was wearing, a badge, wasn't appreciated. This did not stop
me from doing what I thought an oath to my Republic required.

[Ben F]

05:24 PM on 07/06/2011

Five Nuns and a Mother Superior beat you up? They just don't make em like they used to! ;)

[Ioan Lightoller]

10:58 AM on 07/07/2011

LMAO. Thank you for my early morning laugh. I went to a Catholic school back when I was a kid and some of those nuns were built like sumo wrestlers.

[Michele Kobus]

11:03 PM on 07/06/2011

Oh my!