Student Charged with Hate Crime for Peeing on Pride Flag
announced that his office charged 20-year-old Trey Samuel Fetzer in Franklin County Municipal Court with “ethnic intimidation” — more commonly known as a hate-crime charge — as well as misdemeanor charges of criminal mischief, criminal trespass, and disorderly conduct.“Vandalizing property and making homophobic remarks in an attempt to intimidate members of the LGBTQ+ community will not be tolerated in our city,” Klein said in a statement. “Columbus is diverse and tolerant, and we celebrate our LGBTQ+ community.
Hate has no home here, and as long as I’m city attorney, we will continue to aggressively prosecute hate and bias crimes.”Fetzer was caught by a front door webcam walking onto the porch of a home on Summit Street around 10:40 p.m.
on February 8, exposing himself, and peeing on the Pride flag, according to an affidavit submitted by a detective from the Columbus Police Department.He then banged on the doors of the duplex and yelled homophobic remarks, saying, “Fuck the gays.”The camera footage also shows him appearing to make a vulgar gesture with his middle finger during the incident.
Another young man is seen on the video filming Fetzer on his phone.Police were first alerted to the videotape after Zoe, a transgender mother who lives at the house, posted the video online to Reddit. “I am asking for your help.
