Man hit with hate crimes after firing gun at gay neighbors: police

A 75-year-old Las Vegas man went after his gay neighbors with a handgun while shouting homophobic slurs, court documents allege.

The local CBS affiliate got the legal filing about the incident, which unfolded on April 25 according to records from 911.

The Advocate reported on Wednesday that the court documents claimed the elderly man, named Larry Walraven, is a "habitual criminal" offender who was out "on patrol" when the alleged assault unfolded.

One victim was outside of his home when Walraven pointed a "black revolver handgun" at him.

“After Walraven pointed the handgun, he fired four rounds at [the victim] with none of the rounds making contact," the court documents say. Walraven then attacked the victim with homophobic slurs, also screaming, "I’m going to kill you" and "I hope you die."

The weapon was actually a BB gun, the legal filing states. The reports don't reveal the crime Walraven was on parole for, but convicted felons are not allowed to have guns in the state, according to one defense lawyer's site.

Due to the "habitual criminal offense," Walraven must remain in prison awaiting his preliminary hearing on May 15.

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Walraven denied any part in the incident.

Upon arrest, "Walraven told officers 'he had no clue what happened,'" the quoted documents said. He also claimed that "he was inside his home all night taking care of his mother."

The FBI's annual crime report for 2022 found that hate crimes have jumped across the country. According to the data, there was a 13.8% increase in hate crime reports based on sexual orientation and a 32.9% jump in reported hate crimes based on gender identity.

See the local news report below or at the link here.

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