Craig Knapp, a resident of ilume on Cedar Springs Road, was attacked between 4:10 and 4:15 a.m. on Saturday morning (April 30) as he was walking his neighbor’s dog.
Knapp told WFAA Channel 8 that the two men who attacked him on Douglas Avenue near his building used anti-gay slurs. One of the attackers hit him in the face, and he said even though he offered him his wallet and his phone to keep them from hurting him, they took nothing.
Knapp also told WFAA this is the second time he was attacked. We have not spoken to the victim yet and haven’t found another recent police report on an earlier attack.
Detectives canvassed the area after the attack was reported, and have asked businesses in the area if their cameras caught footage of the attack or attackers.
From the Dallas Police blog, here is a fuller description of the attack and of the suspects:
On April 30, 2016, at about 4:30 a.m., a male victim was walking his dog in the area around the 3000 block of Douglas Avenue. The victim was approached by two suspects, a Black male 6’1” with a gold tooth wearing “skinny jeans” and a Latin male of unknown description. The Black male suspect asked the victim what the dog’s name was and when the victim answered, the Black male suspect made a derogatory comment about the victim’s perceived sexual orientation and shoved the victim to the ground causing scrapes to the victim’s face.
Both suspects then fled the location in an unknown direction. The comments made by the suspect indicate this was a crime of bias and will be classified as such. The assault itself is a Class A Misdemeanor and this is the third bias crime reported in the Oak Lawn area since September 2015.
Detectives from the Assaults Unit followed up with the victim over the weekend and canvassed the immediate area looking for video and witnesses to the offense.
Anyone with information regarding this offense or these suspects is asked to contact the Dallas Police Department’s Assaults Unit at 214-671-3584. Callers who wish to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 214-373-TIPS (8477).