Gay U of A student attacked near campus

A University of Alberta student says he was targeted in an attack near his campus dorm last week because he is gay.

Chevi Rabbit, 26, says hewas walking to the Safewayat Whyte Avenueand 109th Streetaround 9 p.m. Thursdaywhen a group of three men began yelling homophobic slurs at him.

One of the men jumped out, approached Rabbit andput him in a headlock, thenthrew him to the ground beforestealing his iPhone, he said.

Students living in a fraternity house across the street rushed over to help before police arrived.

"There were other guys in the car," said Matt Peyneburg. "It could have been four guys on one person. He could have been seriously injured there."

Attack happened on busy street

Rabbit said he was surprised the attack happened so openly.

"It caught me off guard," said Rabbit. "It's a really good neighbourhood for the most part.

"There were people playing volleyball, people walking arounda mother jogging," he said."It was embarrassing...they're calling me a faggot in front of everybody."

Rabbit is nowcommuting from his parents' home in Ponoka, Alta., 100 kilometres south of Edmonton,because he feels safer there.

He carries pepper spray and said when he comes back to Edmonton he'll try to find a different place to live.

"What if they stabbed me? What if they had a knife or something," he said. "They seemed like those type of people."

Despitethe incident, he is not discouraged from being openly gay andsays he hopes his story inspires people to talk about homophobia.

The Hate Crimes Unit of the Edmonton Police Service is investigating the attack, said spokesperson Patrycia Thenu.

Police are looking for a silver 2000 Acura3.2TL with a spoiler that fled the scene.