Hate crime victim receives more threats

CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. (WIVB) - A hate crime investigation in Cheektowaga takes a dramatic turn.

Police say the victim has been threatened since the arrest of his suspected attackers.

Threatening text messages and a physical confrontation. Cheektowaga Police tell News 4 that's what the victim has been dealing with in the past few days.

This all began outside the Walden Galleria on New Year's Eve. Two women were arrested for harassing and assaulting the victim in a parking lot.

Police say 19-year-old Deonna Burnett and 18-year-old Joy Darden first yelled anti-gay slurs inside the mall. Then they followed the 20-year-old man outside where they punched, kicked and robbed him.

Police now tell that just a few days ago, a friend of the victim received a text message saying the victim better not show up for court. And then, the victim in this case was confronted by a guy in the hallway of the court building.

According to police, he told the victim he was going to "whoop him."

That man was arrested by police officers in the building. 18-year-old Shariff Jackson of Buffalo is charged with tampering with a witness. We're told Jackson is one of the suspect's boyfriends in the case.

That case is still being prosecuted as a hate crime. Police tell us the victim says he is not gay, but that is not a requirement for hate crime charges.