Police: 4 young men from Oceanside accused in alleged anti-gay attack in Babylon

Police say four young men from Oceanside are facing hate crime charges for an alleged anti-gay attack against two other men in Babylon on Saturday night. The suspects were out celebrating a friend's

News 12 Staff

Jul 22, 2013, 11:23 PM

Updated 4,361 days ago

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Police say four young men from Oceanside are facing hate crime charges for an alleged anti-gay attack against two other men in Babylon on Saturday night.

The suspects were out celebrating a friend's birthday on Saturday and were walking along Deer Park Avenue when they asked two other men for directions to the train station.

Police say that's when the situation turned ugly. The four suspects are accused of punching, kicking and shoving the victims while yelling anti-gay slurs. Prosecutors say that anti-gay slurs were used both prior to and during the attack.

Police say the two victims were transported to Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center in West Islip. One victim was treated and released. The other victim was admitted and was listed in serious condition.

The suspects have been identified as 18-year-old Nicholas Bagattallia, 20-year-old Greg Gilbert, 17-year-old Justin Buckley, and his brother, 18-year-old Shane Buckley. They are facing charges of gang assault and assault as a hate crime.

News 12 Long Island has learned Justin and Shawn Buckley are the brothers of Marine Lance Cpl. Greg Buckley Jr, also of Oceanside, who was killed in Afghanistan last August.

An attorney for Justin Buckley told News 12 that the incident has been blown out of proportion by the police department. Greg Gilbert's father said that the suspects are "good boys."