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Editor's note: The video referenced in the article contains very strong language and some violence. Proceed with caution.SALT LAKE CITY — Salt Lake City police Thursday released enhanced images of an assault that took place in a hotel parking lot against two men, one of whom had a Confederate flag magnet on his pickup truck.
The men who were assaulted believe the attack should be investigated as a hate crime. But Salt Lake police say, for now, the case is being handled only as an assault. After the suspects are found, arrested and interviewed, police say they will look at the totality of the situation to determine whether a hate crime took place.
About 2 a.m. on Nov. 1 in the parking lot of the Red Lion, 161 W. 600 South, a group from Wyoming who had been in Salt Lake City for a concert were getting ready to leave when one of the men noticed five or six black males and a Hispanic male gathered near his pickup truck.
Because he had a lot of work equipment in the truck bed, the man went out to confront the other group. Right after he walked into the parking lot, one of his friends started recording the incident on a cellphone. The video was later posted to YouTube.
In the video, one of the suspects can be heard saying, "Nobody's touching your truck." Then another man says he's mad because there's a Confederate flag on the vehicle. Gay slurs uttered by the suspects in the video can also be heard.
When the truck owner confronts one of the main suspects and asks him, "Why don't you move over that way," while pointing away from the truck, the man hits him in the head without warning with his right hand, knocking the truck owner unconscious and causing him to fall to the ground.
One of the Wyoming man's friends, who had been watching off to the side with his hands in his pockets, approaches the group. While his hands are still in his pockets, a suspect takes a swing at him, the video shows. Quickly the friend is surrounded by six or seven men who knocked him to his knees and kicked him repeatedly. According to Salt Lake City police, the man later required facial surgery.
The man who threw the first punch was wearing a blue Washington Nationals hoodie, a white Halloween mask and black pants.
Anyone with information on the suspects can call police at 801-799-3000 or text 274637 and "TIPSLCPD" followed by the information.
