Nanaimo RCMP have made an arrest in connection with the severe beating of a man Thursday in a city hotel room.
The victim and the suspect had met at a bar and gone to the hotel room together, where the victim was tied up, assaulted and robbed.
He had numerous injuries and required surgery, police said.
“The police investigation does not stop when the accused is arrested, and will continue,” Nanaimo RCMP Cpl. Jun Stuart said in a statement. “A part of this is to try and establish the motivation of the accused and whether this was a hate crime.”
Police said an offence can be considered a hate crime if a victim is targeted for belonging to an identifiable group based on such factors as religion, ethnic or national origin, or sexual orientation. The person who was beaten is gay.
Gabriel Stephen Nelson, a 28-year-old Qualicum Beach resident, was arrested near Nanaimo’s Terminal Park Mall. He will appear in court Monday to face charges of aggravated assault, forcible confinement and robbery.
Anyone with information on the case is asked to call Nanaimo RCMP at 250-754-2345, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), go to nanaimocrimestoppers.com or text 274637 using the keyword “Nanaimo.”
