XPost: alt.politics.homosexuality, alt.fan.rush-limbaugh, talk.politics.guns
XPost: sac.politics
From: aids@glaad.org
In article
wrote:
>
> ...The parents raised queers. They are responsible foer their deaths.
>
Manhattan Councilman Erik Bottcher is urging the LGBTQ community
to be “extra vigilant” when going out for a night on the town
after the suspicious deaths of two gay men in Hell’s Kitchen.
Bottcher gathered with volunteers in the popular nightlife
neighborhood Thursday night to hand out fliers with safety tips
and raise awareness that one or more people may be targeting,
drugging and robbing gay men in the area.
The council member — a gay man himself who has spent much of his
career in public service advocating for and supporting the LBGTQ
community — urged bargoers to be on high alert after two men, 25-
year-old Julio Ramirez and 35-year-old John Umberger, were both
found dead in separate incidents after a night out at New York
City gay bars.
“We demand justice for the deaths of Julio Ramirez and John
Umberger,” Bottcher said as he handed out fliers at the corner
of 9th Avenue and 49th Street. “We will not be cowed. We will
not be intimidated. We will not stay home. But we want there to
be ongoing campaign of awareness.”
Bottcher and a team of volunteers planned to drop the fliers in
bars throughout Hell’s Kitchen, Chelsea and the West Village.
“We want people to be extra vigilant right now while the
investigation is underway,” he said.
Bottcher said he spoke to both the Manhattan District Attorney’s
office and the NYPD Thursday night and was assured that they
each have a full team investigating the deaths.
“So I’m hopeful that the investigation will be successful in the
near future,” he said. “But in the meantime, we want to get
things out there spreading the word making sure people have
heard.”
Ramirez died in the back of a cab in the early hours of April 21
and Umberger, of Washington, DC, was discovered dead on June 1
in the Upper East Side apartment where he was staying.
Both Ramirez and Umberger died of an overdose, were robbed of
their phones and wallets and had their bank accounts completely
drained. About $20,000 was stolen from Ramirez’s bank accounts
and credit cards and $25,000 has been transferred out of
Umberger’s accounts through cash apps like Venmo and Paypal.
Police believed the victims were drugged with roofies, known as
the “date-rape drug.”
Investigators believe both men went to the Eighth Avenue gay
nightclub, The Q NYC, where they were each targeted by a group
of three men before they wound up dead the next morning.
Police believe at least a dozen non-fatal cases in which victims
were drugged and robbed are related. The NYPD has formed a grand
larceny task force to investigate the crimes in which well-
dressed victims were targeted by three men at gay bars, drugged,
and robbed of tens of thousands of dollars, after their bank
accounts were emptied and credit cards maxed out.
Bottcher said he wants people to have the information they need
to remain safe — with the number one tip being to share one’s
location with others when going out.
“The first tip to me is one of the most important, which is
always share your location with someone you know and tell them
who you’re with,” he said. “So if you’re leaving with someone,
you know, just let people know — someone know — where you’re
going, who you’re going with.”
Other tips on the fliers, compiled by the NYC Office of
Nightlife, include to never leave drinks unattended or accept
drinks from strangers, use fentanyl test strips to check for the
presence of the deadly drug in other drugs, have a travel pan to
get home safe and never leave with a stranger without telling a
friend.
Bottcher wants to spread awareness of the potential dangers as
well as the safety tips across all five boroughs.
“We want this to happen all over the city. So we’re working with
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