Gay Colorado Teen Attacked by Fellow Students

PUEBLO, CO -- A 15 year old openly gay high school student from Pueblo, Colorado, was attacked by six of his fellow students last Thursday because of his sexual orientation, he and his family told the local news station ABC Channel 7 News.

Anthony Hergesheimer was attacked when he was walking home from school, just a few blocks away from his home. Hergesheimer was alone when a car with six teenagers drove by him several times. The vehicle finally stopped and the boys inside started shouting gay slurs and hurling objects at him.

"One of the boys got out and he hit me on my eye, right on my face with a full can of Lysol," Hergesheimer said. "My nose just started gushing everywhere."

Hergesheimer suffered a broken nose and severe damage to his face before he managed to run to a nearby house for help. Hergesheimer said he was attacked because he is openly gay and now will have to undergo reconstructive surgery to fix his face.

According to Hergesheimer, the harassment started at school earlier in the day.

"They said things to me like, 'You, fag, this and you, fag, that,' and then they walked off," he said.

Hergesheimer mother, Theresa Ornelas said her son had also received a threatening e-mail prior to the attack.

"I'm very upset. Yeah, my son is gay. But that shouldn't matter. He should be proud of who he is," Ornelas said.

Deputy chief John Ereul of the Pueblo Police Department Police said three of the six suspects have been interviewed and that all three admitted to the crime. They may face felony charges due to the seriousness of the crime: "We are looking into it. It's an assault that we are calling a hate crime."

Since the attack happened en route from school, the school district was alerted to the incident. District spokesman Greg Sinn, said the district is conducting it's own inviestigation, which may result in a recommendation of expulsion for all six suspects. The Pueblo City Schools has currently suspended the six students.

Hergesheimer said he will return to school next week, and says he is confident that the majority of his classmates will accept him.