A lesbian couple who own a bar in Norwalk said Thursday’s discussion with Norwalk police was “extremely helpful” after they were assaulted outside their business.
Police have sworn affidavits from Troupe429 co-owners Casey Fitzpatrick and his spouse, Nicholas Ruiz, who allege they were assaulted because of their sexual orientation.
On Thursday, witnesses went to the police station to report what they saw happen on September 23 outside the gay club.
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“We feel that if all of the information comes to light, it will be apparent that this was a hate crime,” said attorney Stephanie Stich, who represents Fitzpatrick and Ruiz.
Bias Against LGBTQ People
Here, everyone agrees on what’s being said. Chief Thomas Kulhawik said, “We all want to get to the bottom of this and make sure that all paths are explored, and if there’s further charges, so be it.”
Carmen Parisi, a Norwalk resident, was arrested on two charges of third-degree assault the day before the meetings took place.
At the time, body cam footage from responding police officers showed bias against LGBTQ people.
The state’s original accusation against Parisi, now 34, was elevated to second-degree assault during a hearing before a judge on Thursday afternoon.
Supervising Assistant State’s Attorney Suzanne Vieux said in court that the statement was made because of a medical record belonging to one of the victims.
Vieux stated that while laying on the ground, he was kicked in the head, causing horrible injuries. One of the complainants got more than 50 stitches to repair the injuries.” She pleaded with the court to maintain Parisi’s $75,000 bail.
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Parisi informed his lawyer, David Marantz, that he wasn’t the aggressor, and thus Marantz requested that his bail be reduced to $25,000.
Cases Against Parisi for Assault
Vieux rebutted, saying that security camera video from outside the pub shows Parisi violently attacking the two victims. Bond was imposed by Judge Kevin Randolph at $200,000.
Cases against Parisi for assault, breach of peace, and threats to violate a protection order are still pending in Waterbury Superior Court.
He was also serving a probationary period after being found guilty of submitting a fake incident report in March.
A public uproar led to his arrest when Fitzpatrick wrote about the incident and shared a photo of a bloodied Ruiz in the hospital on Troupe429’s website on Tuesday.
After the incident, Fitzpatrick said, “His face surrounding his eye and cheek was ripped open, necessitating a trip to the emergency room and treatment of over 50 stitches across his face and eye, totaling $20,000 in cosmetic surgery.”
According to the message board, the assault occurred shortly after Parisi was expelled from the pub for harassing many female patrons and staff members.
The Police Report
Once leaving, “the suspect made numerous disparaging remarks about the bar and the people within, and used derogatory and anti-LGBTQ slurs,” the police report reads.
The suspect then became aggressive without warning. Fitzpatrick also criticised the police investigation and asked the public for help in his search for justice.
In response to the post, police said on Tuesday that an arrest warrant was out for the suspect and was waiting for a judge to sign it.
On Thursday morning, police informed reporters at a press conference that the internet post was the first instance of hate speech they had seen.
No Audible Details in Bar’s Surveillance Footage
They also claimed that the bar’s surveillance footage of the incident did not include any audible details. Kulhawik said that the investigation is far from over, and he asked anyone who might have seen something to come forward and help the police.
Later, he told News 12 that any hiccups in obtaining victims to provide sworn testimony were likely the result of a breakdown in communication.
That’s why we’re going to look into this thoroughly. Cooperation with them is something we’re interested in exploring. Together, we will do much more,” Kulhawik said.
Stich said that her clients are thankful to the police for making an arrest and just want justice. Stich stated, “They’re willing to help the cops in any manner they can.”
The Norwalk Police Department may be reached at 203-854-3111 if anybody has any new information on the event.
