Gay Man Targeted In South Beach Whopper Bar Brawl Speaks Out
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – A gay man targeted in an attack at a South Beach Whopper Bar is speaking out about the lack of security.
Jordan Schaeffer has a fat lip along with lots of cuts and bruises.
He suffered the injuries during a violent fight inside the BK Whopper Bar at 11th and Washington on March 14th.
"We were going to Miami for a relaxing weekend, and it was traumatizing to be honest," Schaeffer told CBS4's Ted Scouten.
Schaeffer and his boyfriend, Eric Danko, were visiting from L.A.
He said it all began after someone in the restaurant saw the two kiss, hurled anti-gay slurs and then came after him.
"Trying to take my way out of it. There's nowhere for me to go when I started walking forward. I was then slammed to the ground," Schaeffer explained.
From there, it appears the alleged attacker used martial arts moves – wrapping his legs around Schaeffer and continued the beating.
"Once I got slammed to the ground it's kind of a blur. I was getting kicked, I was getting hit," Schaeffer said.
As the fight continued, Danko could be seen in the surveillance video trying to help. But a man in jeans and a white, long-sleeve shirt is seen pushing him back.
Schaeffer said he's traumatized.
"It's not right that anyone should suffer a hate crime and be a victim based off the person that they are," Schaeffer said.
Schaeffer's attorney said he's troubled that there have been fights here before, and that there's no security.
"We're also concerned that there's a location on Miami Beach that serves alcohol and has absolutely no security personnel whatsoever. There are no bar bouncers, there are no security," Douglas Ede said.