Tristan Perry (left) and Spencer Deehring say they were beaten and called homophonic slurs after leaving a night club in Austin.

Austin Police Investigating Attack on Gay Couple as Hate Crime

Investigators are checking surveillance video in the downtown area to identify a group of men they say beat Spencer Deehring and Tristan Perry.

Associated PressJanuary 23, 2019

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AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Police in Austin say they’ve opened a hate-crime investigation into a weekend attack that resulted in a gay couple being hospitalized.

Investigators are checking surveillance video in the downtown area to identify a group of men they say beat Spencer Deehring and Tristan Perry early Saturday after the couple left a nightclub.

Deehring says the two were holding hands when a passing man made a derogatory comment. The two responded and Deehring says up to five men then attacked them.

He says he sustained a concussion and lacerations and that Perry suffered internal bleeding, a concussion and a broken nose.

Police say no suspects have yet been identified.