The Broward Sheriff’s Office is releasing a short clip of drug store surveillance video that may show one of three men who attacked a gay, 24-year-old Tamarac man in late December.
As Mark Samnath, walked past three men smoking in Tamarac Commons Park around 4:30 p.m. Dec. 30, he commented that it smelled like marijuana. The men and Samnath exchanged heated words. The argument escalated, and the trio began threatening Samnath and using derogatory phrases about his sexual orientation. Samnath walked westbound on McNab Road but realized the men were following him. One was pointing a Canon camera at Samnath. At the corner of Northwest 89th Avenue and Northwest 70th Street, two of the men attacked Samnath. They punched and kicked him in the face, all the while using verbal slurs and threats, as the third man appeared to be recording the attack with the camera. Samnath was left with a swollen face with deep cuts and bruises.
“Because it appears this attack was prompted in part by the victim’s sexual orientation, it would be considered a hate crime, according to Florida state statute,” Commander Rick Wierzbicki of BSO’s Hate Crimes Task Force said. “When they are caught, these assailants will face enhanced penalties for their crimes.”
Hate crimes in Florida are defined as criminal acts that ?evidence prejudice? based on race, religion, homelessness, ethnicity, color, ancestry, sexual orientation, national origin, disability or age of victim. Anyone with information about this incident can contact BSO Violent Crimes Unit Detective Dave Lewis at (954) 321-4200 or anonymously report information to Crime Stoppers of Broward County at (954) 493-TIPS (8477).
http://bit.ly/ewlxEH- INVESTIGATORS: VCU Det. D. Lewis, Sgt. G. Bukata, CID R. Wierzbicki, Hate Crimes Task Force Tamarac
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camera - not actual camera used in attack
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