Gay Man Severely Beaten Outside San Francisco Leather Bar

This piece initially ran on Advocate.com. Read the original here.

In an assault outside a popular San Francisco leather bar early Sunday morning, a gay man sustained severe internal and external injuries and suffered a heart attack.

As Barry Miles left the popular Folsom Street venue, Powerhouse, on the night of February 4, two men attacked him and stole his wallet.

On Instagram, he shared stunning photos showing his bloodied, bruised, battered, and swollen face, making it hard for him to be recognized.

“My face hit the sidewalk,” he wrote on Instagram. “[A]lso a front tooth was knocked out, and [I have] a small fracture in my neck.”

He added, “I’m pretty banged up.”

He also said that he also had a heart attack due to high cholesterol, for which he had to have two coronary stents placed.

A well-being check was conducted on nearby Langton Street just minutes after midnight on Sunday, February 5, according to the San Francisco Police Department, the San Francisco Standardreports.

“The victim was unable to provide details regarding what led up to his injuries,” police officials told the outlet. “Officers responded to a business on the 1300 block of Folsom Street, where the male stated he had come from, and during their initial investigation, officers were unable to determine that a crime had occurred at that location.”

A leader in the San Francisco Bay Area’s LGBTQ+ community set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for Miles. Gary Virginia wrote in the fundraiser’s description that Miles is self-employed and asked for any size donation to help Miles recover.

At the hospital, he is receiving treatment for injuries that are not life-threatening but will require extensive medical care.

Miles’ return to work has not been determined since he runs a housekeeping business. The fund will be used to pay Miles’ living expenses and to cover the cost of an expensive front tooth implant.

“Barry is a community leader, titleholder, volunteer, and fundraiser for many organizations that have benefited numerous charities near and far,” the fundraiser says.

He is involved in the Krewe de Kinque Mardi Gras club and appeared in a charity Bare Chest Calendar, among other activities.

As of publication, the fundraiser earned about $2,000 short of its initial $10,000 goal.