Richmond police are offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of four men who allegedly kidnapped and gang raped a lesbian Saturday night, Lt. Mark Gagan said today.
Police are investigating the attack as a possible hate crime, Gagan said.
The assault began at about 9:30 p.m. in the 1500 block of Visalia Avenue in the city's Belding-Wood neighborhood.
The victim, a 28-year-old woman, was getting out of her car when she was confronted by four men.
"She was beaten, she was robbed and she was sexually assaulted," Gagan said.
A few minutes into the sexual assault, one of the men told the group that someone was approaching and they forced the victim into her car.
They took her to a desolate area near the Bay Area Rapid Transit tracks in the 1300 block of Burbeck Avenue and continued to sexually assault her, Gagan said.
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"The victim was physically and sexually assaulted numerous times," Gagan said.
During the attack, which lasted for about 45 minutes, the suspects made several statements about the victim's sexual orientation, Gagan said.
The victim also had a rainbow sticker on her license plate that identified her as being supportive of the gay community, Gagan said.
Afterward the attack, the suspects fled in the victim's car, leaving her there naked, Gagan said.
She was able to get help from a nearby resident, who called for police and an ambulance.
The victim's injuries were serious, but "the extent of the emotional trauma rivals the extent of the physical trauma," Gagan said.
Although the four men participated in the attack to varying degrees, they are all being sought on charges of assault with a deadly weapon, robbery, carjacking, kidnapping and rape in concert with an enhancement for committing a hate crime.
The first suspect, who appeared to be the leader of the group, was described as a Hispanic man in his 30s. He was about 5 feet 6 inches tall, weighed 180 pounds and had black hair, brown eyes and a mustache.
The second suspect was a black man in his early 20s. He was about 5 feet 10 inches tall, weighed about 170 pounds and had black hair and brown eyes. He goes by the nickname "Blu."
The third suspect was described as a Hispanic man about 18 to 20 years old. He goes by the nickname "Pato."
The fourth suspect was described only as a Hispanic man about 18 to 20 years old.
"The Richmond Police Department is pleading for the community to come forward and help us find the people responsible for committing this vicious crime," Gagan said.
Anyone with information about any of the suspects is asked to call Detective Ysenia Rogers at (510) 672-1717.
