D.C. Police Release Images of Suspects in McDonald’s Anti-Gay Attack
D.C. police are asking the public's help in identifying seven individuals involved in a possible bias-motivated attack against a gay man.
D.C. police released surveillance camera images of seven people believed to have taken part in an attack against a gay man at a local McDonald’s.
Sebastian Thomas Robles Lascarro, 22, was beaten up by a group of people on October 27 around 1 a.m. inside the fast-food restaurant at 14th and U Streets NW.
As reported by WTOP, Lascarro, a Colombia-born male model, had stopped by the burger joint to get something to eat after frequenting local gay nightclubs. But after waiting in lne for the self-help kiosk, he ultimately decided to leave because off the long lines.
As he headed toward the door, a young woman screamed at him, allegedly claiming that he “needed to watch where the fuck he was going, and to say, ‘excuse me,'” according to Lascarro’s husband, Stuart West.
A group of people surrounded Lascarro and blocked him from leaving. Some of the group hurled anti-gay slurs at him, with at least one person reportedly telling him, “You faggot, I’m going to teach you how to say excuse me.”
Five to 10 individuals then began punching Lascarro in his face and all over his body. Staff at the McDonald’s declined to intervene.
According to a Metropolitan Police Department report, Lascarro sustained serious injuries during the attack and was left bleeding on the sidewalk outside, with the assailants egging each other on to attack him more fiercely. Following the assault, the group allegedly threw food, trash, and drinks at him.
While on the ground, he tried to FaceTime call his husband, but accidentally filmed the trash and drinks being dumped on him.
“I woke up to this FaceTime from my husband, his face (was) unrecognizable,” West told WTOP. “I felt powerless. I felt useless. I felt really in shock. And then later on, of course, the anger ensued because of the whole situation.”
Lascarro was eventually able to get up and move away from the sidewalk, collapsing against a wall. Two passerby saw him and stayed with him as he called police. EMTs eventually arrived on scene and transported him to Howard University Hospital, where he was treated for a busted lip, scrapes, and various bruises.
West has since expressed frustration at the initial response of EMTs and police to the attack. Lascarro claimed that the EMTs failed to acknowledge the severity of the assault, and police appeared to downplay the incident.
West also told D.C. FOX affiliate WTTG that it wasn’t until he approached police on his husband’s behalf that the incident was flagged as a possible hate crime and the police report was updated to reflect the use of homophobic slurs.
The Metropolitan Police Department has released images, taken from surveillance cameras, of suspects allegedly involved in the assault on its website and social media channels. The department is asking the public’s help in identifying the suspects, and is offering a reward of up to $1,000 to anyone who provides information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individuals involved, according to WTOP.
The police department noted, in a news release, that it is currently investigating the incident as potentially motivated by anti-gay hate or bias. However, it also noted that additional information may lead to changing that designation.
Additionally, it is unknown whether prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia will pursue bias enhancements if the alleged perpetrators ever go to trial. Sometimes, prosecutors may drop such enhancements due to the difficulty of proving animus or intent.
West has launched a GoFundMe crowdfunding campaign to help pay for Lascarro’s medical bills, as the injuries from the attack have made it difficult to earn money by modeling. Thus far, it has raised over $9,000.
“Thomas is a loving, compassionate person who did not deserve this, and no one in our community should face this kind of hatred,” West wrote on the crowdfunding site. “Any help to ensure he gets the care he needs to regain his health and peace of mind will be a blessing.”
West also says that city officials need to take crime seriously, especially in and near nightlife spots frequented by the LGBTQ community.
“Washington, D.C. is hosting World Pride 2025,” he told WTOP. “How are we going to invite the LGBTQ+ community of the whole world to come here and celebrate being open, free and safe, when, in fact, our residents, who live here aren’t open, safe and protected?”
The attack on Lascarro comes at a time when D.C. residents have been particularly angered by a seeming rise in violent crime. Although they were ultimately unsuccessful, local residents attempted to mount recall campaigns against D.C. Councilmembers Charles Allen (D-Ward 6) and Brianne Nadeau (D-Ward 1), who represents the U Street area, alleging that they had voted for measures that were more lenient on lawbreakers.
The incident at the McDonald’s is not the first time a gay man has been attacked in a local fast food restaurant. In August, a man patronizing a Shake Shack in Dupont Circle was allegedly beaten by two employees after kissing his boyfriend in the restaurant. That incident is also being investigated by MPD as a possible hate crime. A company spokesperson said that the two employees involved had been suspended after video of the incident went viral online.
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