Palm Springs Police have arrested a man suspected of attacking gay men in Palm Springs and charged him with hate crimes.
According to the cops, Joshua Wade Johnson approached a 71-year-old man he had never met Saturday afternoon in Palm Springs. Johnson asked the man his sexual preference. When the man responded that he was gay, Johnson began kicking and punching the victim before fleeing the scene. The victim later received medical attention for undisclosed injuries.
Then Thursday Johnson struck again. This time he approached a 22-year-old man on 20th Avenue and asked for spare change. The victim declined and Johnson made a derogatory remark. Johnson then asked the victim his sexual orientation and the man replied that he was gay. Johnson punched the victim in the shoulder at which point the victim was able to hold Johnson down with the help of a witness. Palm Springs Police was called and they arrested Johnson at the scene.
Both incidents are being investigated and will be forwarded to the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office as Hate Crimes.
