Our friend and GLBT History Project supporter, Denny Ventura, was the subject of a hate crime over this past weekend. His story was originally featured on the
"Straight/Queer Alliance Against Hate" blog:
As I was walking up 16th st I turned into Meridian Place like I always do because thats where I live, I noticed a group of black males I didn’t pay attention to them until I overheard one of them say “get him” when I heard that I looked back and saw that one of them was getting close to me and then said: “Don’t run cause I’ll get you anyway” I felt worry and decided to run up the st to my building on the transition to my house I could hear that one guy call me fag, spic and assured me that I was not going to get away.
Once I got to my buildings front door I looked back at him and told him to step away because there were cameras and if he did something he was going to get caught, so I reach back for my keys and tried to open the door when I realized he was standing behind me, when I turned around he started punching me on my face and head as I tried to protect and defend myself he threw me down the stairs and when I got up he continued beating me and pushed me into a trash can, I was on the floor when he grabbed a messenger back that I had (which was then founded a few blocks away with all the items intact) and ran towards 14th st… I got up and went back to my apartment where i noticed how bad i was bleeding and how my teeth where up in my gums, I had to laid on the floor because I felt dizzy and once i felt better called 911. When the police officers and ambulance got to my house I was still bleeding , dizzy and in pain. I was examined and filed a report then was taken to the hospital. At the ER the investigator showed up and asked a few questions if anything which is still what has me in awed since I expected him or the police to ask me more questions, to be more helpful or at least try to contact the building’s manager to get the security camera footage. I am more than thankful with the staff at the Washington Medical Center they too cared of me properly and made me feel more than secure.
If you have any information regarding this incident, please call the Metropolitan Police Department. Let's help bring Denny's attackers to justice and make DC streets a little bit safer.
