Community Alerts

At 4:30 on Sunday morning, March 27, Damian Furtch was at a McDonald’s in New York City’s West Village neighborhood when he noticed two men looking at him. Feeling uncomfortable, Furtch left the restaurant, followed by the two men, who proceeded to punch him and call him an anti-gay slur. Furtch suffered facial injuries and required stitches from the attack.

Anthony Collao, 18, died yesterday from injuries sustained in a vicious attack on Saturday night. He was attending a party in Woodhaven, Queens, when a group shouting anti-gay slurs crashed the party. Collao attempted to flee the party and was chased down the street and brutally beaten by four assailants. Those four young men, all age 17 and under, were arraigned in Queens Criminal Court yesterday on manslaughter and assault charges. AVP extends our condolences to Anthony’s friends and family.

Anthony Collao died on Monday, March 14 due to an alleged anti-gay attack. Collao was at a party given by two openly-gay individuals, but did not identify as gay. His death reminds us that homophobia affects everyone, not just those in LGBTQH (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and HIV-affected communities.)

AVP extends our condolences to Staten Island resident Robert Jenkins’ family, friends, and community. Jenkins’ son discovered his body early Saturday morning. He had been badly beaten and a medical examiner’s report also revealed that he had been choked.

AVP has learned that the boyfriend of Francisco R. Gonzalez Fuentes, 46, whose dismembered body was discovered yesterday in Cliffside Park, New Jersey has been arrested for his murder. Francisco had been reported missing when he failed to show up to work on Sunday at his job of 15 years. Francisco’s boyfriend, Pedro Garcia, and a friend, Wilfredo Sanchez have been charged with murder and the police are treating this as a domestic dispute. AVP is working with Garden State Equality and will continue to provide support to organizations in New Jersey as needed.