SANDY, Utah — Police in Sandy have arrested a teenager who allegedly punched another boy and shouted homophobic slurs at him and his boyfriend.
The teen now faces hate crime charges in connection with the assault.
According to the Sandy Police Department, the 17-year-old victim was hugging his boyfriend goodnight when the suspect drove by and yelled a slur. About 45 minutes later, police said the suspect and others returned and got out of the vehicle and continued to yell homophobic slurs ahead of punching the victim in the face.
Video of the incident was posted to social media and police were later able to identify the suspect and place him under arrest after interviewing the victim.
Sandy police Sgt. Greg Moffitt details hate crime allegations below
The suspect was arrested for simple assault, although police will also recommend a hate crime enhancement which will increase the charge to a class A misdemeanor.
