Salt Lake City Police Investigating Attack On Gay Man, Alleged Assault Caught On Video
A Salt Lake City man was allegedly assaulted this past weekend after being confronted and questioned about his sexuality, reports the Washington Post.
Last Saturday, Sal Trejo and a few of his friends were waiting for their Uber ride to pick them up after enjoying a night out on the town. It seems a few others were also waiting for their ride-sharing services to show up, including a nearby unidentified man who was engaged in a phone call. Trejo, 29, noticed the man and heard him tell someone on his phone that a “gay guy” was standing next to him.
Speaking to the Washington Post, Trejo described himself as a “proud gay man.” He didn’t personally know the unidentified man but was taken aback after the stranger began talking about him. Before long, the mystery man accosted Trejo and used an anti-gay slur in the process. Sal decided to pull out his phone to record the altercation.
The belligerent man continued to confront Trejo and asked him a rather odd question.
“Are you gay, though?” the man asked Trejo.
“Oh, I am,” Trejo replied. “Yeah, but you called me a…”
Unfortunately, Sal Trejo did not have the opportunity to reply as the unidentified assailant cut his response short by punching him.
My friends and I were assaulted by this homophobic man in downtown Salt Lake City last night. Anyone know him? The police are interested in having a chat with him. #SaltLakeCity @slcpd @slcmayor @EqualityUtah pic.twitter.com/1tPFSCADOp
— Sal Trejo (@saltrejo) February 17, 2019
The punch made contact with Trejo’s arm, causing him to drop his phone, which plummeted to the ground as nearby bystanders appeared shocked at what they had just witnessed. The attacker’s ride arrived shortly after, and he managed to leave the scene before local law enforcement arrived.
Trejo took to Twitter to post the video he had recorded, asking anyone who recognized his assailant to contact the police. He also commented on the alleged assault.
“I want people to be safe,” Trejo said. “Nobody wants to feel unsafe in their town.”
The Salt Lake City police department made a similar post on Twitter, asking for help in identifying the suspect. In a little over 12 hours of their first request going live, local law enforcement confirmed that they had identified the suspect.
"Are you gay, though?" Man records alleged assault, prompting police investigation https://t.co/f9wEFMMBdp
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) February 18, 2019
“SLCPD Detectives have made contact with the suspect who is cooperating fully with the #investigation,” the police department wrote on Twitter.
This attack on Sal Trejo comes a few weeks after actor Jussie Smollet was allegedly attacked because of his sexual orientation. As previously reported by the Inquisitr, the Empire actor’s claims have come under fire as investigations suggest that Smollet may have staged the attack.
