“I did give them a fight,” he added in comments to WLNY, “and if I hadn’t I wouldn’t be here right now.” A former marine, he said that his determination to fight back is what ultimately saved his life, and it’s what has been keeping him going in the days since. Instead Adelaja claimed that had to flag down an ambulance himself. “I wasn't expecting them to get involved or jump in,” he told NBC News, “but certainly getting the phone or calling the cops for me or making sure I was OK are all things that could have been done.” He alleged they did not call 911 and even told him to leave. He said one of the most horrific aspects of the incident was the lack of action from the bodega employees, who he claimed did nothing. Carter has been charged with attempted second degree murder as well as hate-crime related robbery, harassment, aggravated harassment, menacing, and assault with a weapon, as Gay City News reports.Īdelaja is continuing to speak out about the attack as police track down those responsible. The Hate Crimes Unit within the New York Police Department (NYPD) has been investigating the attack, and one suspect, 31-year-old Jonathan Carter, was arrested on September 8. For many groups, crimes explicitly motivated by racial, gender, or sexuality-based bias are increasing.
