Two Men Accused of Vandalizing the Gay & Lesbian Community Center

November 14th, 2009 · No Comments

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -
With a blood stained piece of cloth lying on the ground in front of the Memphis Gay and Lesbian Community Center and the rope that holds there flag high in the sky frayed, Will Batts stands in the face of what may be another crime aimed at hurting the Memphis area gay community.

Batts says, “It’s a little disturbing and it seems a little coincidental.”
Early Wednesday morning plain clothed officers near Cooper and Young saw two men in front of the community center, one of them setting the flag pole on fire.

Batts says, “It does seem that we were targeted ’cause it’s an obvious symbol of our community.”

Memphis Police tell FOX13 News that when the two officers approached the men, the suspects began fighting with officers. One of the guys even tried to take away the officer’s weapon. During the commotion the suspects fled, backup was called.

Police caught 23-year-old Ross Burton, and charged him with aggravated assault and vandalism under $500. Batts says he doesn’t know what their motivation was, but he says it’s ironic. Just a few weeks ago a billboard featuring a gay former Marine was defaced and torn down on Poplar.
Batts says, “This is a public thing but its not new it’s the kind of stuff our community deals with all the time.”

**UPDATE: Police arrested the second suspect accused of vandalizing the Gay & Lesbian Community Center and assaulting an officer.
22-year old Wesley Huggins was taken into custody Thursday and charged with vandalism under $500.00, setting fire to personal property or land, and assault.

Huggins and 23-year old Ross Burton were seen by officers attempting to set fire to the rope of the gay pride flag on the flag pole in front of the building Wednesday morning.

When approached by the officers, the two suspects began fighting with them and attempted to disarm them.
Both fled the scene, but Burton was caught a short time later and taken into custody. Air patrol and K-9 units searched the area but were unable to locate the second suspect, later identified as Huggins.