Missouri Teen Arrested for Allegedly Orchestrating Anti-Gay Attack
Police charge 18-year-old with assault and property damage motivated by discrimination after a man was lured to a park and beaten.
An 18-year-old Missouri teenager has been arrested and charged with orchestrating an anti-gay assault, according to the Ellisville Police Department. Abdulwareth Alahmad, also known as Adam, allegedly lured a man to Bluebird Park in Ellisville, a suburb west of St. Louis, using a dating app.
Police reported that Alahmad met the victim at the park around 2:20 a.m. on Wednesday. Upon meeting, Alahmad reportedly expressed hatred towards gay people before four other males emerged from nearby bushes and attacked the victim. The group allegedly punched the man repeatedly in the head and torso, continuing the assault even after he fell to the ground.
During the attack, the victim reported that the assailants demanded his keys and belongings while using homophobic and racial slurs. He stated that they repeatedly called him a "f*****" and a "n*****." The victim dropped his iPhone during the struggle but managed to escape to his car and drive away as the attackers continued to taunt and threaten him.
He then drove to the Ellisville Police Department to report the incident. Authorities stated that the other suspects left the scene before returning to smash the victim's phone. Investigators later recovered the damaged iPhone, valued at approximately $1,200, from the park. Surveillance footage and audio recordings were obtained, and Flock cameras captured a vehicle leaving the park.
Alahmad was identified by the victim through a photo lineup. Police arrested Alahmad around 10 p.m. on Wednesday following a traffic stop.
Alahmad faces charges of first-degree assault and property damage motivated by discrimination. The identities of the other four individuals involved in the assault have not been released, and the extent of the victim's injuries remains unclear. The Ellisville Police Department has not provided further comment.