Navy murderer may be gay
The Dallas Voice reports that the family of August Provost, a bisexual Navy seaman murdered last month, is alleging that his attacker is a gay sailor who killed Provost over fears of being outed.
Provost’s aunt, Rose Roy, said she was “not at liberty” to discuss the source that provided the family this information, but that they were informed the sailor being held by the Navy as a person of interest got into an argument with Provost a week prior to the murder and has a history of mental illness.
Provost was shot several times June 30 while he stood guard as a sentry in a shack at Camp Pendleton, Calif. The killer then set the shack on fire to cover the evidence.
The Navy has not disclosed the name of the person of interest and said it was too early to identify a motive.
Trans woman attacked in New York
The Queens Tribune reports that two men in Queens, N.Y., were arrested and charged with a hate crime in connection with an assault on a transgender woman.
Carmella Etienne, 22, said that as she walked near the intersection of 199th Street and 116th Avenue on July 8, Nathaniel Mims, 25, and Rasheed Thomas, 22, threw rocks and bottles at her and yelled antigay slurs.
Etienne told police that one of her attackers said, “Don’t ever walk that block anymore, or we will slash your throat.”
Mims and Thomas face charges of harassment, menacing and assault as a hate crime.
Couples stage kiss-in at Mormon church
Adovocate.com reports that dozens of LGBT and ally couples staged a “kiss-in” protest last weekend outside a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City.
The demonstrations began earlier this month following the arrest of Matt Aune and his partner Derek Jones, who were charged with trespassing July 9 after a church security guard reportedly saw them exchange a kiss on the cheek as they walked across the church’s plaza.
About 100 protesters gathered across the street from the temple and were met by throngs of antigay demonstrators. No arrests were made.
— Jen Colletta