WICOMICO COUNTY, Md. — Seven Salisbury University students have been charged with a hate crime because of the victim’s sexuality.

It stems from an incident on Oct. 15 at an off-campus student apartment.

Detectives met with witnesses and viewed a video of the victim being assaulted by several students.

Police say the students allegedly lured the victim to the 1400 block of University Terrace through social media. When the victim arrived, he was surrounded and forced to sit in an isolated chair in the middle of the living room.

After being forced to sit down, the victim was kicked, punched and spat on while the men called her derogatory names.

According to police, the victim tried to leave several times, but was thrown to the floor each time. The attack lasted several minutes before he was allowed to leave.

The victim suffered a broken rib as a result of the assault.

The students, some of whom are fraternity members, were charged with first-degree assault, false imprisonment, reckless endangerment and related hate crime charges.

These were the seven students who allegedly took part in the assault:

• Ryder Baker, 20 years old
• Bennan Aird, aged 18
• Riley Brister, 20 years old
• 19-year-old Cruz Cespedes
• Dylan Earp, 20 years old
• Elijah Johnson, age 19
• Zachary Leinemann, 18 years old

Salisbury University President Carolyn Lepre said in a statement: “Moments like these are deeply difficult to communicate. As a university president, community resident, and mother of two students, the right words elude me—they feel inadequate to fully convey the weight of shock and disbelief we all share.”
“The thought of SU students perpetuating any crime is upsetting, but the thought of SU students committing crimes of such a disturbing nature is truly horrifying. So let me be clear. We are outraged by these allegations. I I am outraged by these allegations,” the statement added.