A gay man in Washington, D.C. was seriously injured after being struck in the head with a rock by a masked assailant in what he believes was a targeted, homophobic attack. The assault occurred in broad daylight on the eve of WorldPride celebrations, as the city filled with rainbow flags and festivities.
The victim, Addam Schauer-Mayhew, was at home watching tennis around 12:30 p.m. on Friday when a masked individual approached the couple’s house, decorated in Pride colours, and hurled a rock through their living room window, striking Schauer-Mayhew on the head. The incident was captured on the home’s security camera.
“The rock that was thrown was about baseball size, and it was almost like a piece of concrete that had sharp, jagged edges,” Schauer-Mayhew’s husband, Bryan Schauer, told WUSA. Upon hearing cries of pain, Schauer rushed downstairs and found his partner bleeding and surrounded by shattered glass. “I can’t imagine how much it hurt,” he said.
The couple, who were preparing to attend WorldPride events that weekend, believe the attacker may have been a local teenager who had previously harassed them. They recalled a past incident where a teen, reportedly wearing an ankle monitor and accompanied by a younger child, shouted homophobic slurs outside their home.
Security footage from the latest incident is now in the hands of local authorities. D.C. police have launched an investigation, and the couple is urging the public to assist in identifying the perpetrator. They are also calling on law enforcement to pursue hate crime charges.
The traumatic experience has left the couple shaken and fearful, but resolute.
“I am proud of who I am. I’m proud to be a gay man, a queer man, living in the city that I love,” Schauer-Mayhew said. “I’m just trying to be accepted.”
As Washington celebrated WorldPride with love and visibility, this act of violence is a chilling reminder of the threats LGBTQ+ people continue to face, even in cities that champion inclusivity.
