A Texas man is facing assault and hate crime charges after authorities say he brutally attacked a lesbian couple celebrating with family in Detroit on 13 July 2025.
Prosecutors allege 26-year-old William Wilson targeted the women after seeing the two same sex couples holding hands, taunting them with homophobic slurs before turning violent. Chelsi Way’s wife was knocked unconscious and later needed 20 stitches. She continues to struggle with memory loss and sleep problems from the assault.
According to witnesses, Wilson put his arms around the women while recording them on his phone and mocking their gender non conformity. When the group sought help from casino security, they say staff did nothing. The situation escalated when Wilson began throwing punches.
After the attack, Wilson and another man fled but were followed by Way for three miles, as she called police. Wilson was arrested and charged with assault with intent to do great bodily harm, two counts of assault and battery, aggrevated assault, and hate crime charges. If convicted, he could face a decade or more behind bars. His alleged accomplice remains at large.
Listening to Lesbians 