Hate crimes unit declines to investigate, but FWPD is requesting video that may identify attackers
DAVID TAFFET | Staff Writer
taffet@dallasvoice.com
Jason Sanches was walking with his partner and sister from his apartment off South Hulen Street in Fort Worth to a convenience store across the street at about 2 a.m. on Monday, May 23, when he heard someone call out “mother-fucking faggot” before they entered the store.
When they left the store, Sanches said, “Six people came running after us and shouted ‘fucking queer.’”
The three reached the front of their apartment complex on South Hulen Street before their pursuers caught up with them.
“I was tazed, hit in the face and had teeth knocked out,” Sanches said.
He said his partner was hit with the tazer three times but wasn’t punched.
Before Sanches’ sister was attacked, a security guard from their complex heard the noise and flashed a light in their direction, causing the six attackers to flee.
Sanches thinks that one of the attackers is related to the owner of the Shell convenience store across from his apartment.
They called 911 who dispatched police. Emergency Medical Services responded as well.
Sanches said in addition to losing teeth, he sustained a fracture near his eye.
He said his treatment by the police and EMS was not what he would have expected.
“The police didn’t care what I was talking about,” he said. “They had an ‘I don’t give a shit’ attitude.”
But they did take a report, he said.
When emergency medical services arrived, Sanches said the EMS told them they “didn’t have all day.” He said he was disoriented after the attack, and instead of getting into the ambulance, he told the medics he would take himself to the hospital.
Sanches drove himself to the Southwest Fort Worth Baylor hospital, a few blocks from his house, where he was treated for his injuries.
After calling Dallas Voice, Sanches contacted Fort Worth Police’s LGBT liaison Officer Sara Straten because he thought the patrol officers who took the report were ignoring his description of the attack as a hate crime.
The hate crime division has declined to investigate the case but has passed it to a detective in the South Division who spoke to Sanches, his partner and sister on Saturday, May 28.
Sanches said that Det. Ruben Towns told him that he was surprised the hate crimes unit turned the case down but that he was investigating.
Sanches believes that a woman in the group is related to the owner of the convenience store.
Towns is requesting video from the convenience store hoping to make an identification among the group of attackers.
Contact the FWPD at https://www.fortworthpd.com/fwpd/EmailContact.aspx?p=1 to express your concern.
Wow…. This sounds like it will be a great test for the true force behind Fairness Ft Worth… And the tenacity of their human relations commission. Sounds like their PD still doesn’t have their act together either. I look forward to seeing these bodies hold the city’s feet to the fire.
Lets see, last time fort Worth messed up they had to write a big check, maybe they need to write a couple more.
I just received an emailed message from Paul Henderson, Chief of Staff at the Fort Worth Police Department, that this incident has been reviewed by the Major Case Unit and will be investigated as a possible Hate Crime.