Hate crime victim: 'I thought I was going to die'
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GRESHAM, Ore. - A 24-year-old man lured to a park under a ruse he was meeting a man for sex said Friday it was his first time meeting a stranger for such a date.
Within seconds after he arrived, things turned violent.
When Adam Salnardi went to Vance Park in Gresham, he first saw a man in a mask, and then, suddenly, he said he was being kicked and punched as a group surrounded him, calling him derogatory terms.
"Next thing I know, I'm getting socked from behind. First, I see these guys standing behind these trees," he said. "They start punching me. I fall to the ground."
The assailants had guns, he said.
"They kept kicking me. They took my shoes. Just left me there with no shoes on," Salnardi said. "I thought I was going to die. Once I saw the gun, I thought I was going to die."
Salnardi, who walked away with minor injuries, shared his story with KATU News. His attackers -- whom police said targeted Salnardi because he is gay -- were arrested as part of a hate crime investigation.
Investigators said the suspects, four juveniles and one adult, lured the Clackamas man through a dating website under the ruse that he would be meeting a homeless man who needed his help.
They had planned to meet the man at midnight at the park.
“We were just talking and he told me wanted to hang out, that he was homeless, I thought maybe I’d be able to help him and I just go there to meet him," Salnardi said.
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| Justin Simms |
When the man arrived at the park, investigators said the group stole his wallet, cellphone and other personal items during the attack.
Asked whether he believed he was targeted because of his sexuality, Salnardi said: "Possibly. I only had $10 in my wallet."
"When I was on the ground, they called me a f--- and just calling me rude names," Salnardi said.
The group fled the scene, but were late caught by police. Three 16-year-old boys and a 14-year-old girl were placed in custody on suspicion of second-degree robbery, first-degree intimidation and third-degree assault. Because of their ages, they are not being identified.
A 19-year-old Gresham man, Justin Simms, also was arrested on robbery and assault charges.
A woman who lives across from the park said the victim ran to her house and knocked her door. She called 911.
Police believe this group may have attacked other gay men using the same ruse, possibly also at Vance Park or in the surrounding area.
Anyone who has experienced a similar attack is asked to call Gresham police Detective Scott Hogan at 503-618-3141.
Salnardi said he decided to appear on TV with his story to encourage other alleged victims to take a stand.
“Maybe they don’t want people knowing about it, maybe they feel ashamed, but I’m here to take a stand,” Salnardi said.
don't go to a park to have sex, pervert!
Ane rape is justifyable if the girl is a slut.................. shows you who people really are
so yes the man may have been alot of things reading the post........ this however does not make the perpatrators any less guilty of being involved in a hate crime, Â this is wrong.... in a park..... in a convience store, in a school...... anywhere........ I believe this reporting was about the hate crime, not how you feel about the victim....... I could find critisim of him too, but it isn't the point
Well dummy! Anyone who goes to meet a stranger in a park at midnight might deserve what he got
I don't get it. He was going to meet a guy to have sex but later it said the dating site wanted people to help with a homeless man. Which is it? Katu, get it together.Â
This is more of a felon-on-felon crime than a hate crime, it appears.  Â
Maybe they both should go direct to jail (do not pass go and do not collect $200) . . . Â
Tawana Brawley? Just saying.
 http://pdxmugshots.com/mug/adam-vaughn-salnardi, Turns out our victim aint so pure either. Sex offender, Now we know why he was meeting a homeless man. Perhaps looking to do a little crime of his own until the tables got turned on him?
@jpdx00 While that indicates he was charged with a crime, it does not indicate whether he was, in fact, proven guilty of those charges.Â
But I guess since his picture is on the Internet, he must be guilty.
@jpdx00 Wow! This guy is not an angel at all, thanks for the link.
Expect to get jumped at beat up meeting anyone in a park in Gresham at midnight!
Sad too, in the late 70's and 80's, Gresham was a pretty nice place to live!
@B Smizzle That is so true... The homes, the neighborhoods were nice and clean....now not so much...
We should be more concerned with perverts meeting in our parks, Hate crime? not really
Note to self: parks are for public day use, not sex. Oh wait, I already knew that! Nevermind...
" 24-year-old man lured to a park under a ruse he was meeting a man for sex said Friday it was his first time meeting a stranger for such a date."
"We were just talking and he told me wanted to hang out, that he was homeless, I thought maybe Iâd be able to help him and I just go there to meet him," Salnardi said"
HUH... Which is it buddy??? Kinda sounds fishy to me. Someone needs to get their story straight.
@myopinion240 Besides sustaining injury at the hands of some POS'I'm guessing that being young,possibly not sure about his sexuality,he is traumatized and embarrassed for getting "caught" Now thanks to the media,everyone knows about his very personal business.I think he panicked and changed his story.Foolish,dangerous move on his part and hopefully he learned his lesson and can find a more healthy,productive way to meet guys.I think coming out should be left to one's own terms and this is definately not a good way to come out to mom and dad,that's for sure.
@noneofyourbizzness http://pdxmugshots.com/mug/adam-vaughn-salnardi
He learns his lesson? He can teach the other his lesson instead. Maybe this was the first time he was ambushed, the other time, he assaulted.
@tptpttp @noneofyourbizzness Not good.Good find.Kind if blows my theory apart.
@noneofyourbizzness "possibly not sure about his sexuality"
Okay wait a minute here... He is 24 that is not that young, it's definitely old enough to know better.Â
BUT- Homosexual people are always claiming "WE WERE BORN THIS WAY" Â so IF you're "born that way" Â how the heck can he still be "confused" at 24??
It has to be one or the other... Either you're "born that way" or you are still making up your mind at 24!Â
@noneofyourbizzness Well I agree with the first part.. I don't believe they were born that way.
I am an Evangelical Christian but I don't abhor homosexuals. I had a friend here today who is a gay woman. I accept her and she accepts me- She knows I don't approve of her lifestyle but guess what- I do approve of her as a person.
Mutual respect- Â she could be protesting on one side of the marriage issue and I on the other but we would still be friends..
So not all Christians hate gay people- I love her, I hate the fact she risks her eternity. There's a difference. Â
@cwpholder I personally believe that people aren't born gay.I will be convinced otherwise if scientists come up with something substantial.Of course conservatives who abhor gay people have all the answers however.
Someone not sure of their sexuality dont go to a park at midnight do explore it. He heard homeless though it would be an easy score. Ends up he was the score.  NOt condoning what was done to him but when you help make yourself the victim, well what can one say. Â
Simms does look gay
Bert
U must like to see your words on a site. A word of advice stay out of the parks after dark, meet your friends at a bar. Make sure you have lube and condoms....
@FreerideNOTÂ I try to convey one thought per line otherwise my comments might seem like rambling. If a word count were to be done I bet my total comments would use less words or even better less letters than others. I try to keep pithy.
The victim was going to meet a homeless man he met online and help him out. Sounds like was going to help him out for ten bucks
Time to listen to "after midnight and "walking after midnight"t
I get blamed for having my cd player stolen from my car because I have a car and had a cd player but a guy is out for sex late at night and oh poor guy
What happened to that guide that is published telling folks where to go that is safe? I guess Craig's List is out of the question in this case. Too bad, so sad and adios!!
The victim in this case is none to bright.
Never meet someone for anything in a secluded area. Wanna meet then meet in a public place with others around then go off somewhere and do your thing if you feel comfortable.
@FreerideNOTÂ If heterosexual men could frequently and legitimately meet women for no-strings-attached ,anonymous, and free sex... you'd see just how "none to bright" people are.
@JTesla @FreerideNOT A powerful,strong sex drive especially with young men full of testosterone has been known to get people in trouble.I certainly remember being a horny twenty four year old a hundred years ago.
It's wrong. Rolling bums is equally wrong. Not sure these punks set the guy up just because he was gay, but rather because he made himself a really easy target.
The victim in this case is not to bright and should have know better. But look at the person in the picture. He is not a kid, but he hangs out with kids. His myspace page brags about how easy it is to be a pimp. In another 5 years he will be killing 'fags'. Hope one of your daughters isn't one of his friends. Still want to talk about the victim ?Â
Good point, hang out with younger kids, subjegate them, then move on to bigger and better things. Good thing the libs will tell us he can be cured.
@jpdx00 Sure he can be cured. In fact, he was about to turn his life around. Oops! I thought about other stories.
Bad luck having this happen to him the "first time" he did it.
Haven't read many comments here, but common sense just tells you that going on a website to find sex with strangers is exceptionally risky behavior and invites any kind of bad situation into your life. Doesn't make it right what those kids did but how stupid is this "victim"?! He is lucky he just suffered a temporary beat down and didn't contract a permanent disease. Hard for me to feel sorry for this nut job.
Haven't read many comments here, but common sense just tells you that going on a website to find sex with strangers is exceptionally risky behavior and invites any kind of bad situation into your life. Doesn't make it right what those kids did but how stupid is this "victim"?! He is lucky he just suffered a temporary beat down and didn't contract a permanent disease. Hard for me to feel sorry for this nut job.
Never have understood why some crimes are considered "hate" crimes, what's the other type of crime option?
@Jeepers Yeah, I can't think of any "love crimes."
@cwpholder @Jeepers This's one. The crime happened because of "love" :)
@Jeepers If you have to ask you wouldn't understand.Â
Check out Simms profile on myspace,,what a gem. Â www.myspace.com/simms_47Â
@None Check out  Adam Salnardi arrest record on PDX Mugshots  http://pdxmugshots.com/mug/adam-vaughn-salnardi
Failure to register as a sex offender eh? He though he was meeting a homeless man, makes me wonder if the tables were turned on title of victim here?
@MrMonkey Mauer @None Yeah, I'm thinking there's much more to this midnight meeting than this kid is saying.
@Lips @MrMonkey Mauer @None drugs?
@None people still use MySpace?
Since we ALWAYS seem to believe what the police say no matter what...
It was a hate crime.
@Mipsfer Did your psychic ability reveal the true story, or something? The police didn't write this article or reveal all of their evidence. Be skeptical if you want, but they are just doing their job and classifying crimes to the best of their ability. I'm doubtful you know more details than them on this case, or any other case!Â
Unless, of course you, were in the group?! Are you a gangbanger?
@Morticae @Mipsfer probably a wanna-be gang banger