Man charged with hate crimes for yelling racial slurs at West Central residents, court docs say

A 49-year-old man has been charged with hate crimes after police say he pushed open a door of a West Central residence, yelled racial slurs at people and then fought one of them.

Nathan C. Gunion, 49, is charged with two counts of hate crime and one count of first-degree burglary.

A woman told police she was at home alone the night of May 27 on West Broadway Avenue near North Cochran Street when Gunion started pounding on the door while spitting at the door and floor outside her apartment, according to court documents. She said Gunion yelled, “Go back to your country,” “You’re illegal,” and “Go back to Colombia.”

Gunion then opened the unlocked door while she tried to push the door closed to prevent him from coming inside, she reported. He struck her with the door in the process. He continued yelling racial slurs at her as he reached through the door. During the struggle he slapped her in the face, the woman told police.

She said he was eventually able to force the door open and stepped inside. Her ex-boyfriend then arrived and was able to push Gunion out of the home. Gunion started yelling racially charged expressions at him while punching him.

The ex-boyfriend told police the woman called him saying Gunion was outside yelling racial slurs and trying to get inside the home. He arrived shortly after and saw Gunion pushing his way into the residence through the front door and seeing his ex trying to push the door closed so Gunion wouldn’t come inside.

He said Gunion pushed the door so hard it struck his ex in the shoulder. He also heard Gunion yelling, “Go back to your country,” “illegal” and “I’m going to get you.”

He said Gunion pushed his way into the apartment and that he tried to separate his ex and Gunion. He said Gunion struck him in the ribs and chest several times and he and Gunion fell down the stairs, where the fight and Gunion’s verbal racial attack continued. He said he stopped the fight after seeing Gunion was bleeding heavily, according to court records.

He said he has been in fear for his life for months because of the ongoing harassment and threats from Gunion. The woman said she had multiple previous incidents with Gunion about his hate and aggression toward her and her family for being Hispanic.

Police noted in court records previous harassment incidents among the victims and Gunion.

Gunion pleaded guilty to harassment in 2022 after threatening to kill a security officer the year prior at the 7-Eleven at Second Avenue and Division Street, according to court documents. Gunion was given credit for one day served in jail and placed on probation for one year.

Gunion is scheduled for trial next month on the burglary and hate crime charges.