Palm Springs Police arrested 24-year-old Russell Bates and 19-year old Abigail Sheehy in Palm Springs on May 21st after yelling “derogatory slurs” and beating a gay couple over a private parking spot that belonged to the two men.

The gay couple told police an argument with a man and women started over the parking space behind the business on Tahquitz Canyon Drive. The victims aged 64 and 49 started taking pictures of the couple after being verbally abused, and when the other couple  became physical, punching the men.  One of the victims lost some teeth during the assault.

Police found Sheehy and Bates at Ruth Hardy Park the next day and took them both into custody. Sheehy and Bates were charged with battery causing serious bodily injury, child abuse (their child was with them), and violation of civil rights (felony commission of a hate crime). Bates was also charged with violating his probation.