Victim calls attack hate crime; police still unsure

THE OLYMPIAN | • Published April 08, 2008

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An assault that included anti-gay slurs is not being investigated as a hate crime, Olympia police said today.

Carl Wittenbrink, 22, said he was attacked outside the downtown Olympia YMCA last week.

The attacker swung a plastic grocery bag filled with something heavy at Wittenbrink and called him an anti-gay slur while yelling and cursing at him, the victim said.

Police and YMCA officials have identified the suspect, believed to be a transient. He has not been arrested, Cmdr. Tor Bjornstad said. He would have to indicate that he was motivated to attack Wittenbrink based on his perceptions of Wittenbrink’s sexuality before it could be called a hate crime, the commander said.

“There’s a chance that’s just the kind of language he uses, but I think it’s very clear it was a hate crime,” Wittenbrink said, adding he’s purchased pepper spray for protection. “I want to believe this was an isolated incident and not an indication of something happening in Olympia, but I’m not willing to take any chances.”