Police in Franklin, Tenn., (20 miles south of Nashville) are investigating the assault of Lorenzo Molina Ruiz, a trumpet player for The Mavericks, and his friend, Orlando Morales.
The assault occurred in the early morning hours on Oct. 4 at Tony’s Eat & Drink, a bar in Franklin, Tenn.
According to Lorenzo, he and Orlando were speaking Spanish while waiting to use the restroom when they were attacked. Lorenzo has started a GoFundMe, which has already raised more than $22,000.
Lorenzo joined The Mavericks in August 2017 as a sidemen to the band’s core lineup of Raul Malo, Paul Deakin, Eddie Perez and Jerry Dale McFadden.
Franklin Police released the following statement on Oct. 6.
Franklin Police are asking for the public’s help to identify the two men in these photos, which were taken during the brutal beating of a man in a N. Carothers bar, Sunday morning. At 3:00 am on October 4, Franklin Police were summoned to the Vanderbilt Emergency Room where a victim who advised he had been assaulted in Franklin was being treated. The responding officer determined the location of the assault to be Tony’s Eat & Drink, and an investigation is underway. Officers were not summoned to Tony’s for this disturbance, Sunday morning, and the first the Department learned that it had occurred was after being contacted by Vanderbilt. No one has been charged, but this case clearly has our attention and we are committed to holding anyone who perpetrates a violent assault like this accountable. The victim’s injuries are serious, but not believed to be life-threatening. Anyone with information or cell phone video of the assault or suspect is urged to contact Franklin Police.
Mavericks’ frontman Raul Malo posted a statement via Facebook: “It saddens us to no end to learn of the assault on our band mate 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. – Raul Malo on behalf of The Mavericks”
