In Cleveland, Ohio, a group of approximately 20 men attacked a gay man who once lived in suburban Chicago in what authorities are calling a hate crime.
Jared Foxa former Windy City Times 30 Under 30 nominee who now resides in New York Citywas visiting his family in Cleveland, where he grew up, when he decided to go out Aug. 30 at the gay bar Cocktails on the city's West Side.
Fox said that he was finishing speaking with his partner, who resides in Chicago, on the phone when he noticed the young men.
"I saw them walking in the street," Fox said. "I was walking in the street too, and thought to myself, 'Maybe this isn't such a good idea.'"
He moved to the sidewalk, only to find himself surrounded by the men, who he said appeared to be in their teens, demanded to know what was in his pockets. Fox answered that he was broke.
"So you're one of those broke faggots," one of the men replied.
The men began beating Fox. The incident lasted eight to 10 minutes, he said. At one point he tried running to the porch of a neighboring home, but no one answered the door. Finally, Fox threw out his cellphone and said his credit and debit cards were in the case. He was then able to run inside the bar.
Fox sustained numerous injuries. His right eardrum is completely ruptured; the left eardrum is ruptured partially. He sustained numerous bruises on his face and back.
He was helped by the Cocktails bartender and a patron who was an EMT. The bartender said he and another patron had phoned police several times about the men loitering nearby, but there was no response.
Cleveland police responded to the call about Fox's attack in about 15 minutes, he said. But Fox said he was met with little sympathy or compassion. The officers never got out of their squad car to interview him.
"For somebody who had just obviously been badly beaten, you'd think they would at least have had me sit down," Fox added.
No suspects have been located yet. Fox has been trying to get images of the suspects, who were filmed on surveillance cameras, widely disseminated through social media. "I'd like to see them caught," he said. "I'd like to see them brought to justice."
Fox currently works for the New York City Department of Education and was a teacher in Louisiana. Additionally, he interned at Center on Halsted when he was in Chicago. As such he has had some experience dealing with teens, and said he's not especially angry over what happened, just grateful that he survived. He has watched the surveillance repeatedly to wrap his mind around the incident.
"I'm just kind of in awe at what happened," he added.
Despite his injuries, Fox plans on running in a race Sunday, Sept. 8, that he'd long planned on participating it in order to raise money for GLSEN (the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network), an organization to which he's deeply committed.
"Many problems in the world can be fixed with education," Fox said, adding that his attackers likely would not have been in a disadvantaged position had they been better taught. "Education is the great equalizer."
Assistance: Andrew Davis