August 12, 2021
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Authorities have arrested Patrick Joseph Miller Trebat, 38, in connection with the brutal beating of a Chinese-American gay man and his parents near the National Cathedral on the night of August 7.
Trebat now faces one count of felony assault, two counts of simple assault, and one count of destruction of property in connection with the attack, according to Queerty.
The gay man, now identified as 30-year-old Dr. Sean Lai, who recently completed his doctorate in physics at Georgetown University, escorted his parents down the street in D.C.’s Observatory Circle neighborhood around 10:30 p.m.
Trebat began following the trio before shouting “f*ggots” and “You are not Americans.” He then began beating Lai’s 51-year-old mother and his 64-year-old father, reports Queerty.
Lai’s mother told police that Trebat punched her husband in the back of the head, knocking him to the ground. Trebat then pushed Lai’s mother to the ground as well. At that point, Sean Lai tried to intervene and a struggle ensued between him and Trebat, according to Queerty.
All three victims suffered serious injuries and later received treatment at a local hospital.
An investigation is still ongoing but from what court documents show, Trebat targeted the Lai family based on their race. He has not been formally charged with a hate crime, yet.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is continuing to investigate the facts and circumstances of the case and has no further comment at this time,” U.S. Attorney’s Office spokesperson William Miller told the Washington Blade.