Police Classify Stabbing As Hate Crime

Update June 23 10 a.m.: A fundraiser event will be held for the victims of the assault Saturday.

An additional fundraiser event will be held on on July 19. 

June 22 8 p.m.: Prominent Sacramento-area musicians were stabbed while walking in Midtown Sacramento Sunday. Three people were injured. The Sacramento Police Department said Monday night that the incident is being classified as a hate crime.

Alex Lyman and Blake Abbey posted on social media that they were singled out for wearing tight or skinny jeans and were called a homosexual slur before they were attacked by two men.

Last night I was stabbed in the side with a 4 inch cut that is 2 inches deep and a centimeter from my spleen. This was all from a felon with prior charges who is now in prison. There was no confrontation and nothing was done to provoke this. It was spilt because I'm a "faggot in skinny jeans" I have multiple slices on my throat and arms but only one serious one and I'll still be at all slaves dates. Wish the world could stop hating what they don't understand.

A photo posted by Alex Lyman (@alex_lyman) on Jun 22, 2015 at 4:52am PDT

Officer Justin Brown with the Sacramento Police Department says a tip led officers to Timothy Brownell, 25. He was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, and for owning an assault rifle.

"When we did make contact with him, we conducted a follow-up investigation into his residence and located a firearm that was unrelated to the incident."

Abbey says his arm was "mangled" by the attack. Lyman says he has "slices" on his throat and arms, and a two-inch-deep puncture that narrowly missed his spleen.

Lyman is with the band Slaves and Abbey is with Musical Charis. Slaves is slotted to play Concerts In The Park on Friday, Lyman says he will perform.

The Sacramento County District Attorney's office will decide whether to charge Brownell with hate crimes.