Charlotte woman says two teens assaulted her for being gay

CHARLOTTE -- A woman told WSOC that she was assaulted Saturday night in uptown Charlotte while she was walking with a co-worker.

The woman, who asked not to be identified, said a group of teenage girls started taunting her around 7 p.m. on West Trade Street.

"They singled me out because I was gay," the woman said. "I felt like there was a target on my back."

The woman said the teenagers used derogatory terms. She said she ignored them and kept walking.

She never expected that one of the girls would jump her.

"She basically body-slammed me to the ground and I fell on my left arm," the woman said. "Then she proceeded to kick me in the ribs."

She said a second girl punched her co-worker in the face and stopped only when a bystander stepped in.

She and her co-worker walked a few more blocks and called police, who found two 17-year-olds and charged them with misdemeanor assault.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police have asked the FBI to look at the case as a possible hate crime, which would carry a more serious penalty.

"These girls are too young to have so much hate in their hearts," the woman said. "But they singled me out and physically attacked me simply because of who I am."

Statement from the FBI: "We received a request from CMPD yesterday to review the reported incident, therefore it is too soon to determine whether any federal laws have been violated."

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