SPRINGFIELD – Police charged nine people aged 12 to 19 with a hate crime after a man was beaten on Walnut Street while some of his attackers yelled, "That's what we do to faggots."



The 30-year-old victim was attacked shortly after 3 a.m. Tuesday as he walked along Walnut Street, heading home, Delaney said. He suffered head trauma and other injuries, was treated at Baystate Medical Center and released.



"This is unusual and we are treating it seriously," Sgt. John M. Delaney said.



Five males and four females were charged.



The victim and the people accused of attacking him all live in the same neighborhood. While none of the suspects knew the victim by name, they were familiar with him from the neighborhood, police said.



The victim told police that a group of youths inside Barrows Park yelled and asked him to come inside the park, said Delaney, aide to Police Commissioner William J. Fitchet.



The victim kept walking and told police he was then attacked, knocked him to the ground, kicked him in the head and abdomen and punched him in the face with closed fists, Delaney said.



"During the beating, the females encouraged the males to beat up the victim," Delaney said. He said all yelled remarks disparaging about what they believed to be the victim's sexual orientation.



The victim's MP3 player was stolen, Delaney said. Afterward, the victim called police from a home on Eastern Avenue.



A short time later, officers Luis Adames and Herman Little spotted the suspects in front of 600 State St., less than a quarter-mile from the attack. One of the suspects, a juvenile, had the MP3 player in his possession, Delaney said.



The nine suspects were detained and brought to Baystate's emergency department, where the victim positively identified them all.



Investigators determined that the attack amounted to a hate crime, Delaney said.



The lone adult in the group, Shay Andre Edwards, 19, of 11 George St., and the eight juveniles, were charged with unarmed robbery and civil rights violation with injury, Delaney said.



Edwards was scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday afternoon, but information on the court appearance was not available.



Hampden District Attorney Mark Mastroianni said Tuesday night he was aware of the charges but has not yet reviewed the materials from the case to make a public statement about it. He said he expected to be briefed on the case by prosecutors on Wednesday.



Barrows Park is near Oak Street.



City Councilor Amaad I. Rivera, who describes himself as the city's first openly gay city councilor, said he was "very sad and disturbed" to hear of the attack. Rivera said, however, he applauded the police's quick reaction too it.



He said homophobia is not uncommon.



"This is indicative of a climate that starts with bullying and can potentially explode with these kinds of consequences," he said.



Rivera led a grassroots effort to hold a Springfield Pride Week earlier this month aimed at increasing the visibility and voice of the gay and bisexual community and its allies.



The event, held June 8 through 16, was well-received and Rivera said he intends to expand it next year. "It went really well," he said.