Orange County Man Targeted In Hate Crime

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. -- A man was brutally beaten outside of a convenience store in Orange County. Deputies said he was attacked because he is gay.

Tonquin Burks said as he left Big Brothers Food Mart on Ivey Lane Sunday night, he heard taunts from four men behind him.

"I heard 'faggot.' I heard 'sissy' and I heard somebody say, 'Don't bring your gay *** around here anymore,'" said Burks.

Burks said he tried to keep walking, but the men began chasing him and then attacked him.

"They started punching me and kicking me. I thought I was going to die," said Burks.

The men also stole Burks' hearing aids. He is hearing impaired and now he has to wear large headphones to hear people. The stolen hearing aids were worth about $1,000.

Burks said what he lost is not his concern. He just wants to make sure what happened to him does not happen to someone else.

"I hope that they get caught and it's known that gay hate and gay crime should really be taken more seriously," said Burks.

Investigators said if they catch the suspects, the men will face harsher charges because the attack is considered a hate crime.