Dallas police have finally agreed to address an epidemic of violence in the Cedar Springs stretch of the Oak Lawn neighborhood, which is lined with gay nightlife.
In less than two months, eight assaults have occurred in the area, with perpetrators mostly targeting men walking from gay bars and clubs at night. Only one has been classified as a hate crime, though.
Michael Dominguez was attacked in the early hours of October 2 -- not only beaten, but stabbed. His eye socket was broken and his skull cracked. So far, police have categorized what happened to him only as an "assault," not a hate crime.
"Nothing was stolen from [me], period, and I was left for dead. I don't know what you call that other than a hate crime," Dominguez told the Dallas-Fort Worth CBS affiliate.
At a recent community meeting, police promised more patrols and said they're considering adding cameras to the area. Local officials also pledged to fix broken streetlights, something that has made walking dangerous for locals.