Juan Javier Cruz, 22, of Lake Worth, Florida, was fatally shot on August 6, 2017, after confronting a man who had been shouting homophobic slurs at Cruz and his friends as they left a restaurant late at night. Witnesses and family say Cruz stood up to the attacker and was struck by a bullet that his cousin believes was meant for him; the cousin said Cruz died in his arms. Cruz had recently started a new job, and friends and family returned to the scene the next day to mourn.

The shooting is described by some organizations as motivated by the victims’ sexual orientation because the suspect reportedly targeted the group with anti-gay language before the shooting.