FRANKLIN, Tenn. (WTVF) — A member of the award-winning band The Mavericks was assaulted at a Franklin bar, and police have asked for the public's help to identify the suspects.
Franklin Police described the assault as a "brutal beating." It happened around 3 a.m. Sunday at Tony's Eat and Drink in Cool Springs, but they weren't notified of the incident until after the hospital contacted an officer.
The Mavericks shared band member Lorenzo Molina's story on Instagram saying he and his friend Orlando Morales were assaulted for simply speaking Spanish.
Police say the victims were seriously injured but are expected to recover.
No charges have been filed in the case, but on Tuesday, police released photos of two suspects. Police say they surrendered to officers that night.
Read More: Suspects in 'brutal beating' in Franklin surrender to police
Tony's Eat and Drink released a statement saying the restaurant is doing everything they can to cooperate, and that they do not support racism or condone hate crimes.
In regards to the unfortunate event that occurred at our establishment over the weekend, we are doing everything we can to cooperate with the police in the investigation of this matter. We would like to send our deepest condolences to the individuals affected by the altercation that occurred. We want to be clear that we do not support racisim or condone hate crimes at our establishment and are taking this matter seriously. Our patrons' safety is extremely important to us and we work very hard to maintain a safe environment for everyone. We are an establishment that is open to the public and cannot know what may or may not be in a person's heart and mind, but we do not condone bad actions.
Raul Malo released a statement on behalf of The Mavericks:
"It saddens us to no end to learn of the assault on our bandmate, Lorenzo Molina and his friend & fellow musician Orlando Morales, reportedly for speaking Spanish amongst themselves in a public establishment. For this assault to occur as we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with our own performance (featuring Lorenzo) tonight on the Hispanic Heritage Awards, shows that although we’ve come a long way, we still have a long way to go. America is better than this."
Police asked anyone with information or cell phone video of the assault or suspects to call Franklin Police at (615) 794-4000.
