Gay Man Attacked on Metro Friday Night

Last night, Fox 5 reported on an alarming attack of a gay man by six or seven men on the Metro. "Nathaniel," as he's referred to in the report, was riding alone on a train Friday night. As the doors closed at Metro Center, the group surrounded and beat Nathaniel, kicking him as he fell to the floor and yelling "faggot".

Nathaniel managed to get off the train at the Smithsonian station, and he ran up to the station manager's booth to report the incident. He said Metro Transit Police would not drop him off at his house, only to another Metro station.

He believes that the attackers targeted him for money and their realization that he's gay "escalated their rage." Nathaniel also believes that Metro surveillance cameras caught footage of his attackers, but has yet to hear of any arrests related to the incident. Fox 5 contacted Metro hoping to air some of the surveillance footage, but did not receive a response by the time the story aired.

UPDATE: Via the comments, reporter Lena Sun posted the following response from Metro in the WaPo's Roads and Rails chat earlier today:

The local TV station, WTTG Fox 5, that reported the story about the man who was attacked this weekend did not get the complete story before its report was broadcast.

Metro Transit Police responded to the scene immediately and spoke to the victim and took an official report. Officers said the victim never told them that the assailants had used anti-gay language during the assault. Indeed, he had been injured during the incident, however the man refused medical aid and signed a waiver that he refused to receive any medical attention. Officers indeed did volunteer to drive the man home, however he said he only wanted the officers to drop him off at the Eastern Market Metrorail station, which they did.

Metro does have cameras in its stations, and Metro Transit Police have publicly released video of suspects when investigators believed it would help them catch criminals.

photo by Samer Farha