A Maryland, US, teen has been indicted for allegedly beating a mentally disabled man until his teeth were shattered simply because he suspected him of being gay.
José Tobias Carranza Serrano, 18, faces first-degree counts of attempted murder, bias intimidation and robbery as well as second-degree aggravated assault.
The Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ) Specialized Crimes Bureau on Wednesday (15 September) obtained a state grand jury indictment against him.
Serrano lured the victim, who has not been named, into a dark, wooded area in North Hudson Park in North Bergen, New Jersey, at around 11pm on 21 June. The pair had not met prior to the alleged altercation.
There, he proceeded to punch and kick the man repeatedly in the face, attempt to gouge his eyes and briefly strangle him, the state’s attorney general said in a statement on the Office of the Attorney General website.
Left with multiple bone fractures, including his facial bones, as well as knocked out teeth and kidney and liver damage, Serrano also reportedly stole the victim’s mobile phone as well as $8 in cash.
The attack, the authorities said, was launched because Serrano “suspected the victim was gay”.
‘There is simply no excuse for this type of hate,’ says New Jersey attorney general
The victim was found along a beaten path around the lake near unconscious by a jogger before 5am on 22 June.
He was placed into a coma at the Hackensack Medical Center and remains at the time of writing on a ventilator.
The injuries were so severe that they caused a life-threatening condition known as rhabdomyolysis, which sees broken muscle fibres leak into the bloodstream.
The dizzying level of violence involved in the incident left New Jersey acting attorney general Andrew Bruck stunned.
“We will not tolerate violence targeting the LGBTQ+ community,” he said in a news release.
“There is simply no excuse for this type of hate and we will ensure that those who engage in violence are held fully accountable for their actions.”
Bayonne Police picked up Serrano for trespassing, but he told cops he thought he had murdered the man, according to an affidavit of probable cause.
As of Thursday, Serrano remains at Hudson County Jail pending trial.