Viral Tweet Accuses PSU Fraternity Member Of Beating Guy Up For Being Gay, Police Find Suspect Isn’t Actually In Fraternity
John Mateer, 19, visited Penn State University over the weekend. During his visit, he encountered a man who claimed to have told John that he hated gay people. John then told the man that he was gay, resulting in a violent beating. John filed a police report and posted a picture of his injuries to Twitter, where he claimed that the deed was done by a “frat guy.”
The tweet went viral.
Don't let a frat guy know that you're gay. pic.twitter.com/meCpEyymik
— John (@itsJohn718) October 4, 2015
The Inside Edition reported that State College police began an investigation into the matter to identify the suspect. Late last night, State College PD was able to identify him, and surprise, it turns out the culprit of this hate crime was, in fact, not a member of a fraternity.
Victim has reported to police the assault first reported yesterday via social media. Suspect identified and is NOT a PSU fraternity member.
— State College Police (@StateCollegePD) October 6, 2015
It’s abhorrent that John was physically attacked for claiming he was gay. However, his tweet was reckless. And unfortunately, the 12,000+ people who retweeted it, and the many, many more who came across it, will not see the follow-up story and will go on believing the claim in the tweet as fact. Something saying “Don’t let a guy who hates gays know that you’re gay” would have been just as effective.
Not every guy in khakis and a polo is a fraternity member, and, believe it or not, not all prejudiced thinking and behavior is confined within fraternity house walls. Crazy, I know..
[via The Inside Edition]
Image via Google Maps
Gay profiles someone. #fratlivesmatter
11 years ago at 11:05 amThis entire thread is a perfect example of white male privilege. Check your privilege and stop oppressing marginalized groups with your ignorance of society.
11 years ago at 11:16 amYou sir kindly need to fuck off
11 years ago at 11:25 amHey tech guy ball this asshole already.
11 years ago at 11:27 amThere was a rumor that spread like wildfire that it happened inside my fraternity house, everyone believed it. It was only over a mile away and on the street
11 years ago at 11:49 amAt least the guy didn’t name the fraternity, it would have been UVA Phi Psi all over again.
11 years ago at 12:21 pmHe could have avoided the whole incident and found some common ground with his aggressor merely by adding the words “…and a boy lovin’ pederast!” after his admission to the man that he is gay.
11 years ago at 1:17 pmDa
11 years ago at 2:53 pm