Third man allegedly assaulted during string of homophobic attacks

A third man has allegedly been assaulted in what is suspected of being a string of homophobic attacks in Canberra.

On Friday (26 July), ACT Policing alleged that this July, there have been three incidents of men getting lured to locations over the dating app Grindr before getting assaulted by a group of males.

The third man came forward after police announced they were investigating two other incidents earlier this week.

Police allege that at about 4 am on Saturday (20 July), the third man arrived at an address on Investigator Street in Red Hill where he was allegedly assaulted by a group of five to eight people wearing face coverings.

It is the second alleged assault involving a group on the same night at the same location in Red Hill.

“Police believe all three alleged assaults are linked,” a police spokesperson said.

“ACT Policing takes incidents such as these very seriously and urges anyone who may have information about these incidents, or other similar incidents, to contact police on 131 444.”

Police previously said that on 16 July, the first man had gone to a home on Ada Norris Avenue in Denman Prospect to meet a person he’d connected with on Grindr earlier that morning.

However, outside the home, he was approached by four people who allegedly assaulted him before he was able to leave the scene on his motorbike soon afterwards.

“Police believe his helmet and gloves were stolen by the alleged offenders,” a police spokesperson said.

“The man did not require hospitalisation and provided a statement to police.”

Then, at around 2:30 am on Saturday (20 July), a second man agreed to meet a man at a home on Investigator Street in Red Hill using the same dating app.

But shortly after he arrived, a group of seven to eight men appeared and allegedly began assaulting him.

During the assault, the group allegedly shouted homophobic slurs at him, as well as demanding money and attempting to take his wallet and keys.

The man escaped but was allegedly pursued on foot by the group, who continued to assault him in front of another home on Investigator Street. He was able to fight the group off on Discovery Street.

The group then allegedly damaged the man’s car.

The man later arrived at hospital for treatment of his injuries and reported the matter to police.