CU students accused in attack on gay man

Bianca Prieto, Rocky Mountain News

Monday, March 12, 2007

Two University of Colorado students were arrested following an attack on a gay man near Pearl Street in Boulder.

Eric Schorling and Adam Perez, both 21, were arrested early Sunday for alleged assault and bias-motivated crimes.

The suspects are accused of making derogatory remarks to a gay couple who were walking in front of them. The 21-year-old victim was walking with his arm around a 19-year-old man near 10th and Pearl streets around 12:30 a.m. Sunday.

There was a brief verbal exchange before Schorling, Perez and the victim began fighting, police said. The victim was able to punch one of his attackers and free himself shortly before police arrived.

The victim's name was not released.

Boulder police are labeling the attack a bias-motivated crime.

According to CU's Web site, Perez is a senior, biological scien- ces major, and Schorling is listed as a junior, anthropology student. The two are listed as living at the same address.

Schorling turned 21 Saturday.

The attack comes less than a month after another hate crime that involved a 21-year-old lesbian student at Naropa University.

The woman, who has not been identified publicly, said she was assaulted by two men after they made sexual passes at her. She refused them and told them she was a lesbian, which police believe prompted the assault.

The suspects in the February case were not CU students.

University of Colorado officials released a statement after the Naropa attack reminding the university community that hate crimes will not be tolerated.

"Homophobia and violence have no place in our community - or any community - and run counter to the human values represented by both CU-Boulder and Naropa University," the Feb. 22 news release said.

Boulder police are also investigating another assault that may have been racially motivated.

A 19-year-old man was attacked by two men near 10th Street and University Avenue, near The Hill, early Saturday morning between 1 and 1:30 a.m.

The victim told police he was walking with a group of friends when they had a verbal argument with another group of men.

The victim is of mixed race, and police are investigating whether that played a role in the assault but have not labeled it a racially motivated crime.

One suspect pulled the victim's hair, pushed him and punched him in the face. Another kicked him in the face.

"None of the crimes are connected," said Julie Brooks, a Boulder police spokeswoman.

Saturday assault

Police in Boulder are searching for two suspects in a Saturday assault on a 19-year-old man near 10th Street and University Avenue:

• Suspect 1: A white man, between 19 and 22, about 5-foot-10-inches, 190 pounds, with curly brown hair.

He was wearing a blue polo shirt.

• Suspect 2: Believed to be between 19 and 22, about 5-foot-11-inches, with short blond hair. He was wearing a black North Face jacket.

• Call with information:

Boulder Police Department

Investigations Division at 303-441-3330; to leave an anonymous tip, contact Boulder County Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.