Three more individuals, Sean Antone, Benjamin Brandenburg, and Logan Clark, were arrested and charged with hate crimes in connection with an assault on a man due to his sexual orientation. This incident occurred in Maryland and involved a group of Salisbury University students, some of whom were members of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. The victim was lured to a residence under false pretenses and then assaulted by multiple men, causing him to suffer injuries including a broken rib. A total of 15 individuals have now been arrested in connection with the incident, with charges including first-degree assault, reckless endangerment, false imprisonment, and hate crime offenses.
Antone was arrested by the Howard County Police Department, Brandenburg was arrested by Salisbury police, and Clark turned himself in to police. All three are Salisbury students and have been placed on interim suspension by the University. Attorney information for Clark was not available, while Antone’s attorney declined to comment, and Brandenburg’s attorney could not be reached for comment.
Some of the individuals initially arrested, including Riley Brister, have indicated they will plead not guilty to the charges. Salisbury University President Carolyn Ringer Lepre called the incident an “act of visceral hate” and placed the fraternity on suspension. A community vigil and unity walk were held on campus in response to the assault. The investigation is ongoing, with authorities determining that the victim was targeted due to his sexual preferences.
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