Dallas Police Investigate Attack in Possible Gay Hate Crime

Dallas police are currently investigating an attack that occurred Saturday on man that could be a gay hate crime, local news station KHOU reports.

Craig Knapp, 50, is the latest victim in a string of anti-gay based attacks in the Dallas gayborhood of Oak Lawn. Knapp said he was walking his neighbor's dog early morning on April 30 when two men approached him outside of his apartment building.

Knapp said one man asked for the name of the dog. After telling him, one of the men used a gay slur and allegedly started hitting Knapp in the face.

"I wanted to get out alive, plain and simple," he told the news station. Knapp added he offered the men his phones and money but says they didn't take it.

Knapp suffered deep cuts and scrapes but claims they are healing.

"It's now an anger that I feel and I am not an angry guy," he told KHOU.

The Dallas Police Department told the news station a detective will be assigned the investigation on Monday, to determined if the attack against Knapp was motivated by hate.

The incident follows a number of similar attacks in Oak Lawn, a popular LGBT suburb of Dallas. It was reported last October that local officials for the neighbored announced they would increase police presence after the series of violent attacks.

A number of men have come forward and said they were the victims of abuse and robbery in the area.