Prosecutors: 3 face hate crimes charges in attack on gay man

Apr 12, 2022, 2:27 PM | Updated: 2:46 pm

POMPANO BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Florida prosecutors said they filed hate crime charges Tuesday against three people accused of severely beating a man because of his sexual orientation.

Inna Makarenko, 44; Yevhen Makarenko, 43; and Oleh Makarenko, 21; were each charged with attempted first-degree murder, battery during the burglary of a dwelling and kidnapping, according to the Broward State Attorney’s Office. All three face possible life sentences.

The three family members broke into a Pompano Beach home last August and beat a 31-year-old gay man so badly that he has become permanently blinded and sustained other serious injuries, prosecutors said.

Officials haven’t released many details about the attack in order to protect the victim’s privacy, but prosecutors have confirmed that the Makarenkos knew the victim before the attack and specifically targeted him because he is gay.

Broward County deputies arrested the group last month, and they’re being held without bond.

A fourth person connected to the attack was transferred from Alabama to the Broward County jail on Monday, prosecutors said. No charges were immediately filed.

Defense attorneys for the three people charged didn’t immediately responds to emails seeking comment from The Associated Press.

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

AP

Haitian migrant Gerson Solay, 28, carries his daughter, Bianca, as he and his family cross into Can...
Associated Press

US, Canada to end loophole that allows asylum-seekers to move between countries

President Joe Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday announced a plan to close a loophole to an immigration agreement.
2 days ago
Expert skateboarder Di'Orr Greenwood, an artist born and raised in the Navajo Nation in Arizona and...
Associated Press

Indigenous skateboard art featured on new stamps unveiled at Phoenix skate park

The Postal Service unveiled the “Art of the Skateboard" stamps at a Phoenix skate park, featuring designs from Indigenous artists.
2 days ago
(Facebook Photo/City of San Luis, Arizona)...
Associated Press

San Luis authorities receive complaints about 911 calls going across border

Authorities in San Luis say they are receiving more complaints about 911 calls mistakenly going across the border.
8 days ago
(Pexels Photo)...
Associated Press

Daylight saving time begins in most of US this weekend

No time change is observed in Hawaii, most of Arizona, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam and the Northern Marianas.
16 days ago
Mexican army soldiers prepare a search mission for four U.S. citizens kidnapped by gunmen in Matamo...
Associated Press

How the 4 abducted Americans in Mexico were located

The anonymous tip that led Mexican authorities to a remote shack where four abducted Americans were held described armed men and blindfolds.
16 days ago
Tom Brundy points to a newly built irrigation canal on one of the fields at his farm Tuesday, Feb. ...
Associated Press

Southwest farmers reluctant to idle farmland to save water

There is a growing sense that fallowing will have to be part of the solution to the increasingly desperate drought in the West.
23 days ago

Sponsored Articles

(Photo by Michael Matthey/picture alliance via Getty Images)...
Cox Communications

Valley Boys & Girls Club uses esports to help kids make healthy choices

KTAR’s Community Spotlight focuses on the Boys & Girls Club of the Valley and the work to incorporate esports into children's lives.
(Pexels Photo)...

Sports gambling can be fun for adults, but it’s a dangerous game for children

While adults may find that sports gambling is a way to enhance the experience with more than just fandom on the line, it can be a dangerous proposition if children get involved in the activity.
...
Quantum Fiber

How high-speed fiber internet edges out cable for everyday use

In a world where technology drives so much of our daily lives, a lack of high-speed internet can be a major issue.
Prosecutors: 3 face hate crimes charges in attack on gay man