An unidentified man attacked San Diego LGBT Community Center Trans Services Coordinator, Connor Maddocks late Tuesday afternoon – reportedly “because he didn’t get what he wanted” asking for a referral to a crisis house.
Paramedics attended to Maddocks’ injuries, which were described as minor. Nevertheless, Maddocks was treated at a nearby emergency room. Contrary to previous media reports, no weapon was involved in the attack.
“An individual came in to The Center and became very agitated,” read a statement on The Center’s Facebook page. “As a result a staff member was hit and knocked to the ground, but there was no weapon involved and there appears to be no serious injury.”
Center officials were eager to clarify erroneous reports about the incident.
“[I] just got punched in the face not much damage I have a hard head lol,” Maddocks wrote on his Facebook timeline. “No one smashed my head on the ground, just one punch.”
If nothing else, the attack reveals with no surprise to those who know him, that Maddocks is a much-loved figure in San Diego’s LGBT and allied communities, as hundreds of social media posts of support and well-wishes followed news of the attack.
“Thanks for the love,” Maddocks posted in response.
One source who claims to have been an eyewitness to the incident and the interactions that led to the attack said the man told Center personnel that he had just gotten out of prison and wanted to know how to get into a crisis house.
“I think he got upset because he didn’t think they cared,” said the source, who asked not to be identified because they receive services from The LGBT Community Center and fear criticizing the organization could jeopardize those services. “It happens all the time. Gay and trans people with serious mental health and housing needs come in and either get attitude from the staff or just get handed a flyer, but nothing they can really use. Sometimes the volunteers and staff really act like they’re not interested in helping.”
A spokeswoman at The Center downplayed the incident, first confirming that Maddocks went to the emergency room, then backtracking by saying she wasn’t allowed to discuss staff members’ medical issues.
“I don’t actually know how long Connor was at the hospital,” the spokeswoman told LGBT Weekly. “We always have our staff get professional medical help when there’s an accident or they need medical attention.”
According to the official, if the attacker had been seeking a referral to a crisis house, that is something a volunteer or staff member at the desk should have been able to help provide.
“I believe that’s on the list,” she said.
The San Diego Police Department is investigating the attack and has no suspect as of press time.
What this “eyewitness” is missing is that NOTHING excuses physical violence.
It’s far more likely that this just-released prisoner did not understand what was being said with good intentions and acted out in ignorance, than to imply he was justified by a lack of care from the volunteers and staff. Who, by the way, are there to run a charity not a government agency.
Too often I’ve seen for myself how people receive services from The Center as if they are owed to them, and expect the staff and volunteers to be their servants. It is a place for the whole community, not just those who are down on their luck and feel like they can treat others badly because they’re in pain.
First of all, I am glad to see that this report has been updated to be a little more accurate. As for the individual who attacked Connor, I was there at the Center when it happened, and had actually seen the individual around over the weekend. He was extremely jumpy the entire time, and was so antsy as to make others nervous around him. Also, before hitting Connor, he was shoving another staff member around, and Connor had only come out trying to calm him down. The individual involved then exited the building screaming obscenities at everyone. So how about the next time something like this happens, LGBT Weekly checks out ALL the facts first, rather than trying to scoop everyone else?
LGBT Weekly was not trying to scoop everyone else. We reported accurately from the beginning. You might be getting our report mixed up with other media outlets.
The LGBT mentally ill are not “down on their luck”. They have no place to go. This is the state of our communes. Is it the power of addiction or the addiction to power as I see here.
i think the center is great. However, i have had some unfortunate dealings with person in position to provide various kinds of support to community members. And they collected contact information & promised to follow up. But never received any follow up from them. It was saddening experience.