4 charged in Long Island hate crime beating

BABYLON, New York (WABC) -- Suffolk County Police have arrested four people after they assaulted two men while using slurs based on sexual orientation in Babylon over the weekend.

Police say four people were walking early in the morning when they asked two men for directions to the train station. According to police, the four suspects then punched, kicked and shoved the victims while using slurs based on their assumptions of the victims' sexual orientation.

A witness to the alleged crime called police.

The suspects, all from Oceanside are identified as 20-year old Gregory Gilbert, 18-year-old Shane Buckley, 18-year old Nicholas Battaglia and 17-year old Justin Buckley.

They are charged with multiple crimes including hate crime assaults.

The victims were transported to the hospital where one was treated and released and the other remains in serious condition.

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