A suspected hate crime left three people hospitalized after a weekly drag show at ix Tapa Cantina in Old Town Pasadena.
Diamond Gonzalez, who produces the event, said they were attacked because they are members of the LGBTQ community.
“I thought I was going to die in that moment … I can’t even explain how ugly and vicious and dark this moment was,” Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez, his boyfriend and several other friends were leaving the bar at about 2 a.m. Friday morning when they were jumped by a group of eight to 10 men wearing masks, he said.
“As I was talking to one of my friends to say goodbye, the attackers came from behind and just hit me from behind when I wasn’t looking and knocked me out,” Gonzalez said.
When Gonzalez awoke, he saw a friend on the ground unresponsive, and his nephew was trying to get away in a nearby car as the attackers surrounded him.
“My nephew was in the car and he was scared because they were trying to get him out the car, so he put the car in reverse and he accidentally, without knowing, ran over my friend,” Gonzalez said.
As they tried to fight back and scream for help, one of the attackers pulled a gun on the victims, though no shots were fired, Gonzalez said.
“I thought we were being murdered, to be honest with you,” he said.
Nothing was stolen, but Gonzalez and two others were hospitalized with injuries ranging from a concussion to stitches and bruises.
The Pasadena Police Department is investigating the attack as a hate crime, telling KTLA the department “recognizes the importance of protecting the safety and dignity of all of our community members and we stand in solidarity with those affected by the heinous attacks perpetrated last week.”
“We are committed to ensuring the public’s safety and will be providing resources and referrals to services for those who were affected by this crime,” the department added.
Gonzalez, meanwhile, wants police to apprehend the perpetrators who attacked him for his efforts to “be a voice for the LGBT community.”
“We need to come forward and we need to have justice for situations like this. It’s not OK. It’s 2022. People need to move on and get over it. Gay people exists and it’s normal. And I don’t want people to feel scared,” he said.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Pasadena Police Department at 626-744-4501.
To report information anonymously, call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or visit lacrimestoppers.org.
To support the victims of the attack, visit Gonzalez’s GoFundMe.