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Redblacks suspend Chris Larsen amid assault investigation

The new logo for the Ottawa RedBlacks is displayed on a screen at an event to announce the name and logo for the new Ottawa CFL football franchise in Ottawa on Saturday, June 8, 2013. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Patrick Doyle
The Ottawa Redblacks are investigating allegations against defensive end Chris Larsen, stemming from an incident in Toronto on Saturday evening. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Patrick Doyle)

The Ottawa Redblacks have suspended defensive end Chris Larsen, stemming from an incident in Toronto last Saturday evening.

Larsen allegedly used homophobic slurs against a group of gay men, before violently attacking one man, rendering him unconscious.

David Gomez, the victim, alleged that he was dragged, kicked and punched in the face, stating that he was "nearly beaten to death" in an Instagram post that has since been deleted.

A GoFundMe has been created for Gomez, with over $26,000 raised at the time of this filing.

"The attack left David unconscious for some time, and he awoke to find out his nose had been broken, cheekbone and orbital bone shattered, a splint in his hip bone and a concussion," Cianan Libund, the organizer of Gomez's GoFundMe, wrote.

"In short, David and a friend found themselves in danger when they were outnumbered by a group of folks (approx 5+) shouting and hurling homophobic slurs at them until things reached a boiling point, which compelled the attackers to become violent, leaving David incapacitated and in need of serious medical attention."

Toronto Police is now investigating the alleged incident, and wrote the following in their news release Wednesday afternoon.

"The Toronto Police Service understands that incidents of this nature cause concern in LGBTQ2S+ communities. We want to assure everyone that our investigators are working hard to determine if this was a hate crime and identify the suspects involved. Any type of hate crime will not be tolerated. Our dedicated LGBTQ2S+ Liaison Officer has also been made aware and has been actively engaging with the community."

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