Police suppose shooting at United States gay bar may be hate crime

Police suppose shooting at United States gay bar may be hate crime

Police were searching for a gunman who opened fire inside a gay bar early Thursday, wounding at least three people in what authorities are investigating as a hate crime. The man was armed with a handgun and "some sort of cutting instrument" when he walked into Puzzles Lounge just after midnight, asked if it was a gay bar, and then began shooting, said New Bedford Police Capt. Richard Spirlet.

Puzzles is popular with the local gay community and is listed on several Web sites offering resources to gays and lesbians.

The victims' names and conditions were not released.

New Bedford , a historic port city once among the most important whaling centers in the country, is 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Boston and has about 94,000 residents, reports the AP.

D.M.