Source: Arizona Daily Sun, KTAR TV, Gay.com, Arizona Republic
Flagstaff -- One man has been criminally charged with aggravated assault in connection with an attack that happened after the Pride in the Pines gay pride festival in this northern Arizona city.

Travis A. Reiner, 24, of Flagstaff, has been charged with one felony count of aggravated assault and misdemeanor counts of assault and disorderly conduct, according to a complaint filed in Flagstaff Justice Court. Reiner and three other men were arrested downtown early in the morning on June 22.

Cases against three other men initially arrested in the incident have been referred to the city prosecutor for prosecution.

The other suspects are Christopher Rose, 26, of Englewood, Colo.; Michael Van Roteyn, 24, of Flagstaff; and Mark Greinke, 25, of Sun City, the Republic reported.

The victims were in a crowd waiting for cabs on a street corner after the weekend's pride celebrations when a group of men shouting anti-Gay slurs attacked about 2:45 a.m.

The most severely injured man, Michael Brown, was knocked unconscious when a punch from an attacker sent him to the pavement, said Sam Holdren, public affairs director of Equality Arizona and Brown's good friend.

Holdren said he did not witness the attack, but was close by. Brown, who sustained a deep facial cut, was hospitalized overnight for observation and released Monday morning (June 23), Holdren told Gay.com.

Other Equality Arizona staff and volunteers saw the attack and helped police identify suspects, who had emerged from a nearby restaurant, Holdren said. Several other Pride-goers were punched and shoved, he said.

According to Flagstaff police reports, two men who had attended the festival were injured. Festival events at Wheeler Park had ended Saturday evening, but many attendees moved to special event venues hosted by downtown businesses.

Brown was briefly hospitalized after being knocked unconscious.

Barbara McCullough-Jones, the Executive Director of Equality Arizona, called the attack "deeply disturbing" in a statement.

"On a day when all of Flagstaff should have been celebrating and embracing diversity, this brutal attack has reminded us all that there is still much work to be done to prevent anti-gay bias from escalating into violence," McCullough-Jones said.

She added that she was grateful for the response of the Flagstaff Police Department and the response of emergency personnel.

Police called the altercation a hate crime because of anti-gay slurs allegedly made by the suspects.

David Rozema, chief deputy Coconino County attorney said in a statement that Arizona no longer has a separate hate crime law.

"However, evidence that a crime is committed with malice due to a victim's sexual orientation (among other things) can possibly be presented at trial as motive evidence and at time of sentencing, upon conviction, to seek a stiffer sentence," Rozema stated.

Reiner will be sent a summons requesting he appear in Flagstaff Justice Court for an initial appearance.

Full article: Felony charge in alleged hate crime | Arizona Daily Sun
Group assaulted at Flagstaff gay pride event | KTAR TV
Four Arrested in Attack after Flagstaff Pride | Gay.com
Police arrest 4 in possible anti-gay hate crime | Arizona Republic