Brody's Notes... U. S. Citizen Viciously Beaten In British Columbia Because Of His Sexual Orientation

By Mark Singer (Washington DC) JAN 25 | The Royal Canadian Mounted Police are searching for a suspect after a 48-year-old U.S. citizen was beaten unconscious and left nearly naked in the snow after telling another man about his sexual orientation while bathing in a natural hot springs pool at St. Leon’s Hot Springs north of Nakusp, British Columbia, on Highway 23 last December 29th, 2010.

According to a RCMP spokesman, Corporal Bryson Hill, the victim was relaxing in the hot pool with his companion, when they were joined by two other men and a woman. Hill told reporters that once the suspect, who police believe is named Terry — learned the other two men in the tub were Gay, he allegedly told  his friends at the other end of the pool “that he was going to kill the two men."

Corporal Hill said that The victim’s partner fled to the bushes upon overhearing the initial threat but that,

“Unfortunately, the victim didn't hear (the threat) or didn't get out in time. The beating lasted for a little bit of time, where it ended up about 50 feet away from the hot springs. The victim obviously attempted to get away, but was continually kicked and punched and pushed to the ground as he attempted to flee. He was essentially left unconscious in the snow, in his shorts and in a wilderness environment.”

The RCMP spokesman also said that investigators have determined that there is no evidence to suggest the attack was motivated by any motive other than homophobic hate.

Hill said that the suspect’s friends — another man and a woman — were heard by the victim’s partner pleading for him to stop. He also noted that police have found that they were not directly involved in the assault, however they and the suspect left together on two snowmobiles following the assault.

Speaking about the victims' wounds, Cpl. Hill noted that the vicitm suffered bruising to most of his body and a cut on his nose.

“Physically, he’s fine,” Hill said of the victim. “All his wounds will heal . . . but the biggest scar he’s going to have is emotional, for both of them. You can only imagine the fear that one would have to go through to be beaten in the wilderness and left in the snow . . . disoriented and not even knowing where the hot springs were.”

According to the police spokesman, the reason the incident wasn’t publicized earlier was because the RCMP were hoping to locate the suspect without going public to avoid further distress to the victim in the case and his partner.

RCMP investigators think that their suspect might have been visiting the region from the Calgary area. He is described as a white male, about 44 years old, with a muscular build and a flat-top hair style. The silhouette of a bird is tattooed on his chest.

The RCMP are asking that anyone who may have information about this crime or its suspect please contact the RCMP or contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).