Washington, D.C., police are investigating a potential hate crime after two males stated they had been attacked this weekend by suspects who hurled homophobic slurs at them and referenced monkeypox.
The 2 males had been strolling within the Shaw neighborhood Sunday night once they alleged they had been approached by two suspects, who they stated used an anti-gay slur and referenced monkeypox, earlier than punching them a number of instances, the Metropolitan Police Division stated in an incident report. The suspects destroyed one of many victims' sun shades earlier than fleeing the scene.
The 2 victims had been taken to the hospital and handled for non-life-threatening accidents, police stated in a information launch.
Police stated they're investigating the assault as "probably being motivated by hate or bias," and launched photos of two individuals of curiosity.
In a assertion posted to Twitter Tuesday, Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser stated that she was "deeply disturbed" by the alleged hate crime, and thanked the Metropolitan Police Division's LGBT Liaison Unit for serving to with the investigation.
"Every time a hate crime occurs in our metropolis, it's our collective accountability to grasp the position we every play in constructing a safer group for all who dwell in and go to D.C.," her assertion learn, partially. "We should arise for our pals and neighbors, particularly now when there's a lot anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric sweeping our nation. We should name out the folks in our circles in the event that they promote hateful or ignorant ideology, particularly proper now when individuals are utilizing public well being to stigmatize and discriminate towards members of the LGBTQ+ group."
The assault comes every week after the White Home declared the monkeypox outbreak within the U.S. a public well being emergency. Via Wednesday, the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention have tallied a minimum of 9,493 instances nationwide. All however two states — Montana and Wyoming — have reported recognizing a minimum of one an infection.
Nearly all of monkeypox infections are nonetheless believed to be spreading via shut intimate contact amongst males who've intercourse with males. The CDC presently estimates that between 1.6 and 1.7 million People are within the teams presently being prioritized for vaccines. They embrace people who find themselves residing with HIV, who're males who've intercourse with males, and others who're at excessive threat for HIV.