Four Camp Pendleton Marines have been arrested for allegedly beating a gay man until he was unconscious outside of a Long Beach, California gay bar over Labor Day weekend.
Camp Pendleton spokesman Maj. Manuel J. Delarosa told the Associated Press the assault is being investigated as a possible hate crime:
"This is an isolated incident. Committing any hate crime is unacceptable behavior and is not tolerated in the Marine Corps."
The A.P. has identified the four Marines as: Lance Cpl. Lewis Serna; Pfc. Thomas Pentek; Pfc. Sean Miller, and Lance Cpl. John O'Leary.
The beating took place outside the Silver Fox bar early Monday morning. The victim, who is a full-time film student from San Dimas, told Los Angeles television station KCBS-TV one of the Marines used a derogatory term for gay people during the assault:
“He starts pushing me and calling me f–g. I told him I was gonna call police."
The four Marines have made bail, and are now back at Camp Pendleton, according to Delarosa.
