Twelve students at Salisbury University in Maryland have been charged with hate crimes after they allegedly targeted a man because of his sexual orientation by inviting him to an off-campus apartment, where they beat him and called him names violators, police said.

The students, ages 18 to 21, were charged with first-degree assault, false imprisonment, reckless endangerment and related hate crime charges, the Salisbury Police Department said in a statement. press release Thursday.

They are: Ryder Baker, 20; Bennan Aird, 18; Riley Brister, 20; Cruz Cespedes, 19; Dylan Earp, 20; Elijah Johnson, 19; Zachary Leinemann, 18; Cameron Guy, 18; Jacob Howard, 19; Eric Sinclair, 21; Patrick Gutierrez, 19; and Dylan Pietuszka, 20. All are from Maryland except for Aird, who is from Delaware.

Police said they were contacted by the Salisbury University Police Department on Oct. 31 about an assault that allegedly took place at an off-campus apartment complex for college-age students. As part of the investigation, detectives met with witnesses and say they saw a cellphone video showing “an adult male victim being assaulted by several college-age males.”

The investigation found that on Oct. 15, a group of men used a social media account to invite an adult male to a residence in the 1400 block of University Terrace “under false pretenses,” police said.

When the victim entered the home, “numerous college-aged males surrounded the victim and forced her to sit in an isolated chair in the middle of the living room,” police said.

After being “forcefully seated,” the victim “was kicked, punched and spat on while the men called the victim derogatory names,” according to police.

The victim tried to leave several times, but was thrown to the floor each time, police said.

The attack lasted several minutes before he was finally allowed to leave, police said.

The victim sought medical attention for “sustained bruising all over his body as well as a broken rib,” police said.

Police said the investigation “revealed that the victim was targeted because of his sexual preferences.”

Several of those accused are members or associates of a fraternity at the school, police said. Salisbury University President Carolyn Ringer Lepre wrote on X that the arrested students were placed on suspensionwhich includes banning access to campus and banning academic courses. In addition, Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity has been suspended, Lepre said.

Steve Rakow, an attorney for Brister, told NBC News on Friday that his client will plead not guilty to the charges.

“It is very unfortunate that Salisbury University jumped to conclusions by suspending these young people before there was any discovery in relation to this incident,” he said.

NBC News reached out to attorneys for Aird and Leinemann. The others had no attorney information listed. All of the students were released this week on recognizance bonds, except for Pietuszka, who has a bond hearing Friday.

Lepre denounced the attack in a message sent to students, teachers and university staff.

“The right words escape me – they feel inadequate to fully convey the weight of shock and disbelief we all share,” she said. “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.”

She said that “acts of violence against LGBTQ+ and allied communities are not only destructive, they are at odds with the principles of community, respect and belonging that bind us together as a university.”

Salisbury University is a public university with approximately 6,200 students. A community vigil and unity walk will be held on campus Monday.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com