A woman who was horrifically assaulted, bound, and had her home set on fire has been declared a victim of hate crime, say Lincoln, Neb police, who also said the woman’s home was graffitied with sexual slurs and derogatory slang. Her attackers—whom police suspect to be two men—cut her body and left her in her home, which they set ablaze. The woman was able to escape the house and found a neighbor, who called the police. The woman’s friends organized a vigil on the steps of Lincoln’s capitol building later that evening, which garnered over 500 attendees. Lincoln mayor Chris Beutler responded to the incident, saying, “Hate crimes are despicable and appalling to me and to all Lincoln residents. Lincoln strives to be a community that embraces tolerance and equality. We stand united with our gay and lesbian citizens in denouncing violence directed at any group. The City of Lincoln and the Lincoln Police Department will do everything in our power to ensure that justice is done.”