GoFundMe For Victim Of Beating, Possible Hate Crime

PHOENIX, AZ — A GoFundMe page has been set up to help a man who was beaten in what is being called a hate crime. Frankie Arzaga was assaulted by a man around 1 a.m. Saturday, April 21, "in a homophobic rage," according to the GoFundMe page.

Arzaga and his friend were waiting for an Uber in downtown Phoenix, near Central Avenue and Monroe Street, when a drunk man was screaming homophobic slurs, said Emily Darling, Arzaga's friend who set up the GoFundMe.

"Frankie stepped in to defend his friend when the man threw Frankie to the ground and curb stomped his right leg as he was attempting to crawl away," Darling said. "His right knee cap was shattered, and right tibia fractured."

Phoenix police said the suspect left before they arrived. They assigned the case to the department's Bias Crimes Unit, AZ Central reported.

Arzaga's knee was temporarily set at Phoenix St. Lukes, but he's now awaiting surgery to set the bone and repair the knee permanently, Darling said.

Donate at Frankie's GoFundMe page

Darling continued to say Arzaga has had a huge impact on Phoenix's LGBTQ community, saying he's been a listening ear and helped boost people's confidence in themselves. "He's done nothing but love Phoenix and the people in this city and it's time for us to return the favor," Darling said.

At the time of publishing, Darling has so far raised $23,638 of the $26,000 goal.

Here's what they plan to use the money for:

• $14,000: initial hospital stay
• $9,000: leg and knee surgery
• $3,000: rent, utilities, living expenses for three months

GoFundMe is a promotional partner of Patch.

Article image via GoFundMe