Attempted Murder, Bias Charges For Teen After NJ Man Is Beaten

HUDSON COUNTY, NJ — A man from Baltimore, Maryland, nearly beat a man he thought was gay to death in North Hudson Park, according to Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal.

José Tobias Carranza Serrano, 18, also known as Kevin Lopez, was charged with first-degree attempted homicide, first-degree bias intimidation, first-degree robbery and second-degree aggravated assault.

The attack happened early morning on June 22, near the south end of the lake in North Hudson Park, in North Bergen.

The victim was a stranger and Serrano allegedly wanted to kill him because he suspected the man was gay, according to the Attorney General's Office.

"Whether this type of hate-fueled violence is directed against the LGBTQ+ community or other groups, it is terribly destructive to society, and we must push back against it in every way possible," Grewal said in a statement. "That, of course, includes aggressively investigating and prosecuting those who commit such crimes."

Serrano punched and kicked the victim in the face, causing multiple fractures and knocking out several teeth. He also allegedly attempted to strangle the victim and took a smartphone and $8 in cash, the Attorney General said.

"The victim was beaten and choked so badly that he was unconscious for several hours before a passerby found him and called for help," Grewal said.

The man was found at around 5 a.m.

The case is being prosecuted jointly by the Division of Criminal Justice and the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office.