LAFAYETTE, La. — A Lafayette man is recovering from multiple facial fractures after what he believes was a racially motivated assault while walking home from a local bar.
Dustyn Lance Cope was leaving the Loose Caboose following an event when he was attacked near the intersection of University Avenue and St. Landry Street.
Cope, who is half Filipino, said he rarely goes out at night.
"I don't go out at all. It's like the one night I chose to go out something like this happened," Cope shared.
Cope tells KATC he was walking home around 2:30 a.m. when he noticed a truck driving by him.
"I saw a truck rolling through which I didn't think anything of, then it stopped," Cope said.
He said he then heard a group of four men, believed to be between 18 and 24 years old, yelling at him from a white truck.
"They were calling me slurs and other things," he said.
Cope believes the attack was racially motivated.
"They called me a slur and it took me back a bit that somebody would say that in general, but I'm not surprised with everything going on and the fear they are instilling in each other," Cope tells KATC.
The situation quickly escalated to physical violence.
"Before I knew it, I got shoved to the ground," Cope said. "I was picking myself up, turned, and got hit in the face. It was like a flash of white and I couldn't see for a second."
The assault left Cope with serious injuries requiring medical attention.
"It turns out I have multiple facial fractures, and so I'll need surgery and I have a scratched cornea and a broken blood vessel on the cornea," Cope explains.
He’s grateful to the community members who reached out with support and kind words. Cope is speaking out about the incident to warn others and help keep the community safe.
"I want people to hear what happened to me so," Cope said. "If you do walk at night don't go alone. I wanted people to be safe and also wanted the community to be aware so we can maybe find these people. We can batten down the hatches, take care of each other, and make sure nothing like this happens again. It is unacceptable, and people should be better than that."
If you would like to donate to support his medical bills, click here for a link to GoFundme.
The Lafayette Police Department are currently investigating this incident.
Anyone with information regarding this, is asked to contact the Lafayette Police Department or Lafayette Crime Stoppers by calling 337-232-TIPS (8477).
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