Police: Beating was Possible Hate Crime | News

LAS VEGAS -- A Las Vegas man claims he was attacked because he's gay, and police have released surveillance photos of the men they say beat him up.

Matthew Horowitz says two men passed by him and a group of friends at Planet Hollywood Hotel and Casino last month and made a remark about the victim's sexual orientation. An argument followed and police believe one person hit the victim and then took off.

"He walked right up to me and punched me in the face and I fell to the ground and I have blood coming from my face," said Horowitz.

"I think, probably, all the color drained from my face because when I saw him, I was not expecting what I saw," said Matthew's mother Stacey Beranger.

The suspect is described as a 25-year-old black male with medium length, bushy dark hair. He was wearing a red baseball cap, a red and black shirt with horizontal stripes, and either black pants or blue jeans and dark tennis shoes. 

The second person is being sought as a person of interest only.

Police hope someone who recognizes the two men in the photos will give Crime Stoppers a call at (702) 385-5555.