MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – A 22-year-old man is facing a hate crime charge after authorities say he targeted a man on South Beach in a homophobic attack Wednesday.
According to Miami Beach police, the beating happened just before 6 a.m. on the beach near Lummus Park.
Police said the victim, a South Beach local, was about to change in a beach tent for his morning swim when Junior Rafael Arias, who is homeless, “approached him aggressively and told him to leave.”
An arrest report states that the victim and Arias got into an argument after the victim told him he was not leaving.
Police said the argument turned physical, with Arias “tugging back and forth on the beach umbrella tent” and then beating the victim with a wooden stick.
The report states that amid the beating, Arias began calling the man homophobic slurs, saying, “You are (a) f----t,” “You are gay” and “I will kill you, f----t.”
“The victim stated in order to defend himself, he used a white pole that was attached to the beach umbrella tents to attempt to push the defendant away,” police wrote in the report. “However, the victim advised that (Arias) overpowered him, took the pole, and began striking him with it. The victim advised that he was able to escape and flee the beach.”
Authorities said the victim sustained cuts and bruises from the attack.
Police said the victim was able to point to Arias as the suspect. Authorities said Arias was “extremely uncooperative” and refused to give his name, but officers were able to identify him through prior encounters.
They took him into custody on charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon with a hate crime enhancement and resisting an officer without violence.
Arias appeared in bond court on Tuesday. Miami Beach police Sgt. Melissa Rodriguez told Judge Mindy Glazer she has “a lot of concern” regarding Arias, referencing four open cases and asked for a higher bond and a stay-away order from Lummus Park.
City Commissioner Alex Fernandez also spoke, asking for “justice” in the case.
“That could have been me,” he said. “That could have been one of our other neighbors. That could have been any one of our LGBTQ community that would have been out on on the beach, trying to enjoy the morning.”
He added, “This is nothing short of hate and violence.”
Glazer ordered Arias’ bond set at $50,000 and ordered him to stay away from the park.
“I believe he is a danger to the community, especially anybody who is part of the LGBTQ (community), who falls into that category,” the judge said. “They don’t want to be attacked just because of who they are. Everybody has a right to be free and be happy and be safe, especially when you’re going to swim on the beach.”