‘Ugly and vicious and dark’: Shocking attack after drag show ignites hate crime investigation in Pasadena

Three people are hospitalized after being attacked early Friday morning as they were leaving a drag show in Old Town Pasadena, Calif. The Pasadena Police Department is investigating the incident as a hate crime, according to Los Angeles TV station KTLA.

Diamond Gonzalez produces the weekly show at ixTapa Cantina and says he, his boyfriend and several other friends were jumped by a masked mob of eight to 10 men as they were leaving the bar at about 2:00 a.m. Friday. He says they were attacked because they are members of the LGBTQ community.

“I thought I was going to die in that moment … I can’t even explain how ugly and vicious and dark this moment was,” Gonzalez told KTLA. “As I was talking to one of my friends to say goodbye, the attackers came from behind and just hit me from behind when I wasn’t looking and knocked me out,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez says that when he regained consciousness, he saw a friend on the ground unresponsive, and his nephew was trying to get away in a nearby car as the attackers surrounded him. “My nephew was in the car and he was scared because they were trying to get him out the car, so he put the car in reverse and he accidentally, without knowing, ran over my friend,” Gonzalez said.

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As they tried to fight back and scream for help, one of the attackers pulled a gun on the victims, though no shots were fired, Gonzalez said. “I thought we were being murdered, to be honest with you,” he said.

The Pasadena Police Department told KTLA that the department “recognizes the importance of protecting the safety and dignity of all of our community members and we stand in solidarity with those affected by the heinous attacks perpetrated last week.”

“We are committed to ensuring the public’s safety and will be providing resources and referrals to services for those who were affected by this crime,” the department added.