U.S. attorney’s workplace: Springfield man charged with federal hate crime after assaulting homosexual man

SPRINGFIELD, Ore. (KPTV) – A man has been charged with a federal hate crime after he used the internet to target and assault a gay man because of his sexual orientation, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office – District of Oregon.

The U.S. attorney’s office, citing court documents, said Daniel Andrew McGee and the victim met through Grindr, a networking app used primarily by gay men. The two agreed to meet at the victim’s apartment on July 5.

According to the U.S. attorney’s office, McGee entered the victim’s apartment and assault him with a wooden club over a period of several minutes. The victim pleaded for McGee to stop, but the U.S. attorney’s office said McGee continued to strike the man repeatedly in the head with the club.

The victim was taken to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Further investigation, according to the U.S. attorney’s office, revealed that McGee used the internet to search for and view graphically violent anti-gay material in the weeks before the attack. He also used the internet to plan the assault, purchasing the weapon and other materials online.

The U.S. attorney’s office also said McGee searched online for suggestions about how to get away with murder and how murderers avoid getting caught.

McGee was arrested by the FBI on Nov. 15 and made his initial appearance in federal court before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. He was detained pending further court proceedings.

No additional details about the case has been released at this time.

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