don't know if this is making the national news
Attack at gay bar leaves 3 injured
Nationwide alert after suspect flees
By John R. Ellement and Raja Mishra, Globe Staff | February 3, 2006
NEW BEDFORD -- Authorities say Jacob D. Robida was hunting homosexuals when he walked into Puzzles Lounge around midnight.
After asking a bartender ''Is this a gay bar?," the 18-year-old New Bedford man, dressed entirely in black, allegedly began chopping at a patron with a hatchet, triggering a melee that ended with Robida wildly firing a handgun, according to court documents. Three men were hospitalized yesterday with serious but not life-threatening injuries, police said.
Robida fled the scene and faces about a dozen charges in connection with the attack, including assault, attempted murder, and civil rights violations, police and prosecutors said. State Police and local police were searching last night for him, warning that he was armed, dangerous, and mentally unstable. Law enforcement agencies nationwide were alerted to look out for Robida.
In Robida's room at his mother's house, police yesterday found homemade posters slurring gays, African-Americans, and Jews; neo-Nazi literature and skinhead paraphernalia; a makeshift coffin; and an empty knife sheath, according to police, prosecutors, and court documents.
The attack, which police and Bristol County prosecutors said they are treating as a hate crime, drew national attention and widespread condemnation from both local and national civil rights groups and politicians, with some calling it an extreme manifestation of a growing national hostility toward homosexuals.
''Again and again we have seen that as efforts to marginalize or, in the case of Massachusetts, remarginalize our community escalate, sick and violent people take those efforts as license to step up violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered people," said Clarence Patton, acting executive director of the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs. ''It's been happening across the nation, as our community has come under increased political and rhetorical fire."
Senator Edward M. Kennedy called the attack a ''sad reminder" of why Congress should pass a bill that would extend the federal law on hate crimes to cover offenses targeting people because of sexual orientation. The current law, which allows federal investigation and prosecution of hate crimes, covers those based on race, religion, and nationality.
Hate crime laws in Massachusetts, however, do cover sexual orientation, giving offenders additional punishments.
''At first blush, our inclination would be that it is a hate crime," said Bristol District Attorney Paul F. Walsh Jr. ''The attack seemed random. We have no evidence to believe he knew these people."
The victims were identified by police as Robert Perry of Dartmouth, Alex Taylor of Fairhaven, and Luis Rosado of New Bedford. Their conditions were unknown last night.
Perry's sister, who asked for anonymity because the suspect was still at large, said yesterday that her brother worked as an emergency medical technician in the Boston area and had four sons.
''It's a shame that it had to happen to him, because he is the nicest guy you could ever meet," she said.
Walsh said Robida did not appear to be connected to any organized hate groups. Police said that Puzzles had not been targeted by antigay activity recently and that hate crimes against homosexuals were rare in New Bedford.
Last night, as the bar reopened as scheduled at 7 p.m., about 150 activists and others gathered in a candlelight vigil outside, as a large contingent of police looked on.
Residents living near the bar, located in the bottom floor of a four-story house in the city's North End, expressed dismay at the violent outburst.
''We're all intermingled here, the Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Hondurans, we have all crowds down here, and we don't have any problems with each other," said Natalie Arruda, owner of the nearby Mauricio's Market grocery. ''This place is quiet; we've never had violence like that before. And if that kid is from around here, that's odd."
Little could be learned yesterday about Robida. He attended New Bedford High School, according to court documents. School officials would not say if he is currently enrolled.
He graduated in 2001 from New Bedford's Junior Police Academy, a program designed to teach discipline to 12- to 14-year-olds, though officers there said yesterday that they do not recall anything specific about him.
In 2000, state social service workers investigated a neglect complaint involving Robida, though they concluded that no action needed to be taken, according to Denise Monteiro, spokeswoman for the Department of Social Services.
According to an affidavit attached to the arrest warrant, Robida walked into Puzzles around midnight yesterday, wearing a black-hooded sweatshirt and black pants that concealed a knife, hatchet, and handgun. One unidentified witness recognized him as Jake, a classmate from New Bedford High, and was suspicious because she knew he was not gay, according to the affidavit.
Robida flashed identification, apparently fake, and ordered Captain Morgan rum on the rocks, according to the documents and witnesses. He asked the bartender if Puzzles was a gay bar. He asked another patron about gay bars in the area, was told there was a lesbian bar nearby, and replied, ''No, this is the one I want," according to court documents.
He walked to the pool table and struck a man from behind with the hatchet, according to the affidavit. He then attacked a second man, and a furious struggle ensued, as other patrons tried to subdue him, the affidavit stated. One patron hit him on the head with a pool cue, said the bartender, who identified himself only as Phillip, because the suspect was at large.
Robida was wrestled to the ground, then pulled out a handgun and opened fire, hitting one man next to him and another man, Rosado, who was walking out of the bathroom, according to court papers.
Phillip said Robida, on his way out, pointed the gun at his face and pulled the trigger, but the gun failed to fire.
Rosado suffered a gunshot to the chest, another victim had multiple lacerations, and another had a severe facial laceration and a gunshot wound to the back, court records say.
Police found the hatchet in the bar and a knife on the ground outside. The gun was not recovered.
''This is not an isolated incident," the bartender said. ''I feel lost. You don't expect someone to go into the bar and start attacking people because of who they are."
According to court documents, Robida returned home at about 1 a.m. yesterday, where his mother, Stephanie Oliver, noticed that he was bleeding from the head. He then left and has not been seen since. Police described him as 5-foot-6, weighing about 200 pounds, with dark hair. He was last seen driving a green 1999 Pontiac Grand Am with Massachusetts plates 85E-C58.
Emily Pitt -- coordinator for the violence recovery program at Fenway Community Health Center, which is active in the gay community -- said, ''I can't remember anything like this happening in Massachusetts."
US Representative Barney Frank, who represents New Bedford, said the incident was a tragic aberration. ''This is the vicious act of one degenerate; it's not a city problem," he said. ''This is in no way reflective of any significant opinion in New Bedford."
Nationwide alert after suspect flees
By John R. Ellement and Raja Mishra, Globe Staff | February 3, 2006
NEW BEDFORD -- Authorities say Jacob D. Robida was hunting homosexuals when he walked into Puzzles Lounge around midnight.
After asking a bartender ''Is this a gay bar?," the 18-year-old New Bedford man, dressed entirely in black, allegedly began chopping at a patron with a hatchet, triggering a melee that ended with Robida wildly firing a handgun, according to court documents. Three men were hospitalized yesterday with serious but not life-threatening injuries, police said.
Robida fled the scene and faces about a dozen charges in connection with the attack, including assault, attempted murder, and civil rights violations, police and prosecutors said. State Police and local police were searching last night for him, warning that he was armed, dangerous, and mentally unstable. Law enforcement agencies nationwide were alerted to look out for Robida.
In Robida's room at his mother's house, police yesterday found homemade posters slurring gays, African-Americans, and Jews; neo-Nazi literature and skinhead paraphernalia; a makeshift coffin; and an empty knife sheath, according to police, prosecutors, and court documents.
The attack, which police and Bristol County prosecutors said they are treating as a hate crime, drew national attention and widespread condemnation from both local and national civil rights groups and politicians, with some calling it an extreme manifestation of a growing national hostility toward homosexuals.
''Again and again we have seen that as efforts to marginalize or, in the case of Massachusetts, remarginalize our community escalate, sick and violent people take those efforts as license to step up violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered people," said Clarence Patton, acting executive director of the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs. ''It's been happening across the nation, as our community has come under increased political and rhetorical fire."
Senator Edward M. Kennedy called the attack a ''sad reminder" of why Congress should pass a bill that would extend the federal law on hate crimes to cover offenses targeting people because of sexual orientation. The current law, which allows federal investigation and prosecution of hate crimes, covers those based on race, religion, and nationality.
Hate crime laws in Massachusetts, however, do cover sexual orientation, giving offenders additional punishments.
''At first blush, our inclination would be that it is a hate crime," said Bristol District Attorney Paul F. Walsh Jr. ''The attack seemed random. We have no evidence to believe he knew these people."
The victims were identified by police as Robert Perry of Dartmouth, Alex Taylor of Fairhaven, and Luis Rosado of New Bedford. Their conditions were unknown last night.
Perry's sister, who asked for anonymity because the suspect was still at large, said yesterday that her brother worked as an emergency medical technician in the Boston area and had four sons.
''It's a shame that it had to happen to him, because he is the nicest guy you could ever meet," she said.
Walsh said Robida did not appear to be connected to any organized hate groups. Police said that Puzzles had not been targeted by antigay activity recently and that hate crimes against homosexuals were rare in New Bedford.
Last night, as the bar reopened as scheduled at 7 p.m., about 150 activists and others gathered in a candlelight vigil outside, as a large contingent of police looked on.
Residents living near the bar, located in the bottom floor of a four-story house in the city's North End, expressed dismay at the violent outburst.
''We're all intermingled here, the Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Hondurans, we have all crowds down here, and we don't have any problems with each other," said Natalie Arruda, owner of the nearby Mauricio's Market grocery. ''This place is quiet; we've never had violence like that before. And if that kid is from around here, that's odd."
Little could be learned yesterday about Robida. He attended New Bedford High School, according to court documents. School officials would not say if he is currently enrolled.
He graduated in 2001 from New Bedford's Junior Police Academy, a program designed to teach discipline to 12- to 14-year-olds, though officers there said yesterday that they do not recall anything specific about him.
In 2000, state social service workers investigated a neglect complaint involving Robida, though they concluded that no action needed to be taken, according to Denise Monteiro, spokeswoman for the Department of Social Services.
According to an affidavit attached to the arrest warrant, Robida walked into Puzzles around midnight yesterday, wearing a black-hooded sweatshirt and black pants that concealed a knife, hatchet, and handgun. One unidentified witness recognized him as Jake, a classmate from New Bedford High, and was suspicious because she knew he was not gay, according to the affidavit.
Robida flashed identification, apparently fake, and ordered Captain Morgan rum on the rocks, according to the documents and witnesses. He asked the bartender if Puzzles was a gay bar. He asked another patron about gay bars in the area, was told there was a lesbian bar nearby, and replied, ''No, this is the one I want," according to court documents.
He walked to the pool table and struck a man from behind with the hatchet, according to the affidavit. He then attacked a second man, and a furious struggle ensued, as other patrons tried to subdue him, the affidavit stated. One patron hit him on the head with a pool cue, said the bartender, who identified himself only as Phillip, because the suspect was at large.
Robida was wrestled to the ground, then pulled out a handgun and opened fire, hitting one man next to him and another man, Rosado, who was walking out of the bathroom, according to court papers.
Phillip said Robida, on his way out, pointed the gun at his face and pulled the trigger, but the gun failed to fire.
Rosado suffered a gunshot to the chest, another victim had multiple lacerations, and another had a severe facial laceration and a gunshot wound to the back, court records say.
Police found the hatchet in the bar and a knife on the ground outside. The gun was not recovered.
''This is not an isolated incident," the bartender said. ''I feel lost. You don't expect someone to go into the bar and start attacking people because of who they are."
According to court documents, Robida returned home at about 1 a.m. yesterday, where his mother, Stephanie Oliver, noticed that he was bleeding from the head. He then left and has not been seen since. Police described him as 5-foot-6, weighing about 200 pounds, with dark hair. He was last seen driving a green 1999 Pontiac Grand Am with Massachusetts plates 85E-C58.
Emily Pitt -- coordinator for the violence recovery program at Fenway Community Health Center, which is active in the gay community -- said, ''I can't remember anything like this happening in Massachusetts."
US Representative Barney Frank, who represents New Bedford, said the incident was a tragic aberration. ''This is the vicious act of one degenerate; it's not a city problem," he said. ''This is in no way reflective of any significant opinion in New Bedford."