Church honors victim of brutal attack

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) -  A special visitor joined a prominent Buffalo pastor Sunday, in an effort to bridge the racial divide following a brutal attack.

He was found beaten and left to die on a Genesee Street sidewalk in the summer of 2009.

Brian Milligan's family said his grandmother found him.

He had a fractured skull, broken jaw and suffered severe head trauma from the attack.

"I'm the one that actually found the brick. I found my sons teeth, seen all his blood laying over the corner," said Brian Milligan Sr.

Brian doesn't remember the attack.

Earlier this week in a Buffalo courtroom, 16 year old Antoine Blackmon, 18 year old Donte Lee and a 13 year old admitted to beating Brian with a piece of concrete.

Brian stated he didn't get the chance to ask the teens the most obvious question.

"Why? What is the reason? They can't find a reason on why it happened," he exclaimed.

But despite what authorities are saying, the Milligans believe it was racially motivated, since Brian and his African American girlfriend had been taunted by neighborhood teens in the weeks leading up to the attack.

Brian Sr. wondered if the roles were reversed in this crime, and that's when a local pastor stepped in.

Darius Pridgen of True Bethel Baptist said, "Would this community have been as vocal if this had been an African American youth who was beaten by white youth? And I thought to myself, he's absolutely right!"

Pridgen invited the Milligan's to the church on Sunday.

He said, "It might not be a hate crime in the letter of the law, but it's a hateful crime."

He presented Brian with a $600.00 check to help him get back on his feet.

Pastor Pridgen explained, "I believe that what was bad and was considered bad in your case."

The teens were charged with gang assault.

They were granted $20,000 bail.

The Milligan's still believe that the attack was racially motivated.