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Police in Long Beach are investigating a string of attacks targeting gay men that have taken place over the past 10 days. There have been three assaults, which the Long Beach Police Department say are unrelated, reports the Press-Telegram. Two of the three happened in the Broadway Corridor, a section of the city that is known for being particularly "gay-friendly." Those incidents are considered hate crimes.So far, one person has been charged in conjunction with just one of the attacks: "Jorge Jhovanoy Ibarrias, 21, of Torrance has been charged with one count of felony battery and one count of a hate crime in a July 24 attack on Martin Sanchez," the LBPD have confirmed. Ibarrias allegedly went up to Sanchez on the street the evening of July 24th and asked if Sanchez was gay. When Sanchez said he was, Ibarrias "allegedly punched him in the face, knocking out one tooth and cracking five others."
Suspects in the two other attacks, which took place on July 27 and 31, remain at large. Both involved confrontations on the street which escalated into violence on the part of the suspects. Anyone with information about those attacks is asked to contact the LBPD.
