UNC junior attacked in hate crime

A University junior was assaulted while walking alone on Franklin Street on Friday morning in what Chapel Hill police are investigating as a hate crime.

And the University community, particularly members of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender-Straight Alliance, is mobilizing its resources to show support.

The 21-year-old student was walking near 100 E. Franklin Street at 2:04 a.m. when six to seven men began making derogatory remarks about the student's sexual orientation while walking behind him, police spokeswoman Jane Cousins said.

The group of men then began attacking the student, hitting and kicking him in the face, upper torso and all over, Cousins said.

The individuals were calling him derogatory names throughout the incident, Cousins said.

Police arrived on the scene at 2:06 a.m. and found the student kneeling on the sidewalk, where he was treated for injuries.

Those injuries were initially characterized as minor but have now been revised to include broken bones, Cousins said Friday.

The student was not transported to UNC Hospitals.

To respond to the incident, GLBTSA executive board members decided Sunday to organize a rally in the Pit to take place Tuesday.

Beginning at 6 p.m., students will gather to show support for the student and to speak out about the incident using an open microphone.

Those assembled will then hold a candlelight speak-out and will march to Franklin Street where the student was found.

"People are obviously upset and shocked about it," GLBTSA executive board member David Ruskey said. "The biggest emotion I'm feeling is disgust.

"Obviously ... there were people on Franklin Street who saw this and didn't call the police."

Ruskey said the organizers are asking that all in attendance wear white T-shirts to show unity.

Friday's hate-crime incident is the second involving a UNC student during the last year.

Gagandeep Bindra, then a UNC senior, was attacked on Franklin Street on March 27 in an incident of what was eventually classified as ethnic intimidation.

Three teenagers assaulted Bindra after calling him al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden.

When the event initially was not classified as ethnic intimidation, Bindra successfully challenged the charges against his attackers.

Antonio Burnette, 18, of 311 Lindsay St., and brothers Frederick and Kenneth Perry, of 2534 Gemena Road, each were charged with ethnic intimidation, simple assault and assault inflicting serious injury in the altercation with Bindra -- a Sikh from India.

All three pled guilty Dec. 7 in Orange County Superior Court to both assault charges -- which resulted in jail and probation time for all three -- in exchange for the intimidation charge being dropped.

Cousins said Friday that because there was little description provided on the suspects in that morning's hate crime, the investigation has produced no leads.

There were still no leads Sunday.

The police encourage anyone with information relating to the incident to call the department at 968-2760.

"I'm still honestly in a certain state of disbelief," Ruskey said about the incident.

"This is not something that I would ever have foreseen happening in Chapel Hill."

Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.