Gay couple who were the first to marry at West Point are attacked in Soho bodega 'hate crime' - but send their attacker packing with his 'tail between his legs'

  • Daniel Lennox-Choate, 30, and his husband, Larry Lennox-Choate were at a bodega in Soho when a cursing man punched Daniel in the face
  • Larry came to his husband's defense and the attacker was 'left covered in his own blood with his tail between his legs'
  • Police have not yet made any arrests and the investigation is ongoing  

The first gay couple to be married at West Point Military Academy were victims of an alleged hate crime in Manhattan this weekend.

Daniel Lennox-Choate, 30, and his husband, Larry Lennox-Choate say they were shopping at a bodega in Soho on Sunday when a 40-year-old man started yelling obscenities at them - and then punched Daniel in the face.

Larry, who wrote a Facebook post about the incident, came to his husband's defense and beat the attacker to the ground.

Larry Lennox-Choate (left), 30, and his husband, Daniel Lennox-Choate (right) say they were shopping at a bodega in Soho when a 40-year-old man attacked Daniel

Larry Lennox-Choate (left), 30, and his husband, Daniel Lennox-Choate (right) say they were shopping at a bodega in Soho when a 40-year-old man attacked Daniel

The Lennox-Choates (pictured in a Facebook photo) were the first gay male couple to be married at West Point Military Academy. Larry Choate III, class of 2009, married Daniel Lennox, class of 2007, before about 20 guests in November 2013

The Lennox-Choates (pictured in a Facebook photo) were the first gay male couple to be married at West Point Military Academy. Larry Choate III, class of 2009, married Daniel Lennox, class of 2007, before about 20 guests in November 2013

Larry (right), who wrote a Facebook post about the incident, came to his husband's (left) defense and beat the attacker to the ground. Here the couple are pictured in a social media snap

Larry (right), who wrote a Facebook post about the incident, came to his husband's (left) defense and beat the attacker to the ground. Here the couple are pictured in a social media snap

'He left covered in his own blood with his tail between his legs after I handled the situation and tossed him in the street like the coward loser he is,' said Larry's Facebook post.

Police say no arrests have been made and that an investigation is ongoing.

Larry Choate III, class of 2009, married Daniel Lennox, class of 2007, before about 20 guests in November of 2013.

Choate, 27, taught Sunday school at the U.S. Military Academy's Cadet Chapel and said he always thought of it as the place he would get married if he could.

West Point hosted two same-sex weddings of women in late 2012, more than a year after New York legalized gay marriage. But the Choates' wedding was the first time two men wed at West Point.

'We refuse to be victims and are thankful we can defend ourselves, but are saddened by the fact that idiots like this guy might not pick two guys who went through Plebe Boxing next time,' Larry Lennox-Choate said.

In addition to graduating from West Point, Daniel has a master’s degree in business administration from Harvard and served in Iraq and Afghanistan. 

'We refuse to be victims and are thankful we can defend ourselves': Larry Lennox-Choate's Facebook post after the attack

'We refuse to be victims and are thankful we can defend ourselves': Larry Lennox-Choate's Facebook post after the attack

Police say no arrests have been made following the alleged attack against the couple (pictured)

Police say no arrests have been made following the alleged attack against the couple (pictured)

In addition to graduating from West Point, Daniel (second right) served in Iraq and Afghanistan

In addition to graduating from West Point, Daniel (second right) served in Iraq and Afghanistan

Daniel is pictured here second from right in formal uniform. He was the subject of an alleged homophobic attack at the weekend in New York

Daniel is pictured here second from right in formal uniform. He was the subject of an alleged homophobic attack at the weekend in New York

 

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