Serrano Condemns Murder of Gay Teen in Puerto Rico

“I strongly condemn this horrible crime and urge that it be treated as the heinous hate-crime that it is,” said Serrano. “Congress passed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act to address just this type of offense. I urge the federal government to provide Puerto Rican authorities with assistance in this investigation. The parties responsible must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of either Puerto Rican law or our new federal hate crimes laws.

“Gay teens in Puerto Rico, like gay teens anywhere, must be able to live in peace and feel safe in their communities. As a tolerant society, we must be vigilant about the rights of all and always ensure that the law is on the side of the vulnerable and the victimized.”