Two gay men were seriously injured in separate attacks by the same group of assailants on Monday in South Florida, police say. One man was left in a coma and the other sustained a serious head injury. Police continue to hunt for suspects in the assaults.
The Broward County Sheriff’s Office says that Craig Cohen, 47, and David Villanova Jr., 27, were robbed and beaten by the same group of attackers just hours apart early Monday morning. Cohen remains in a coma at the local hospital where Villanova was also treated for his head wound; Villanova was discharged on Wednesday.
Authorities say that Cohen was attacked in the Oakland Park area. It is unclear whether Villanova was attacked in Oakland Park or Fort Lauderdale because his story has changed, perhaps due to the head injury.
Despite the sexual orientation of the victims, investigators have not labeled the attacks hate crimes, as the only known motive at this time is robbery.
