Anthony Pino is still recovering from injuries he received when he was attacked by one of his neighbors after intervening in a dispute in an Albuquerque apartment complex.
Pino's alleged assailant was identified as Joshua Lopez. A report by KOB said the altercation began when Pino noticed that Lopez was arguing with a female resident.
“Josh started stuff with her and he was calling her unfortunate things,” Pino said to KOB.
When Lopez reached for a rock to throw at a window, Pinto stepped in and told Lopez to stop, KOB reported. Pino then tried to walk away, but Lopez went for a large wooden stick.
“He cold-clocked me and hit me in the back of the head,” Pino said to KOB. “He was screaming at me and using derogatory terms as he was hitting me.”
Police were called, and Pino was taken to the hospital. Lopez was charged with a hate crime and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He remains in police custody.
Pino said he is still struggling with the incident, having been a victim of a hate crime in 2000 when he was attacked by four men in San Francisco, KOB reported.
“I’m having nightmares,” Pino said to KOB. “I’m tossing and turning. I don’t really want to talk to anyone, I’ve been self-isolating, I don’t want to be in public.”
