Scott Rowin, a 37-year-old in San Diego, has been making the rounds in local media claiming he had been the victim of a hate crime in the Hillcrest neighborhood. According to Rowin, he was on a walk when he heard two people yelling gay slurs. Rowin said he yelled things back at the two men, who then proceeded to set him on fire.
ABC 10 reported Rowin said he stopped, dropped, and rolled on the cement, patting himself and quickly putting out the flames. He suffered second-degree burns.
“Just in survival mode. Just in the zone, I have to save my life,” said Rowin.
But that's not the real story, according to San Diego Police. ABC 10 published another story explaining police discovered during the course of their investigation that security video showed Rowin was set on fire by a pregnant woman he was allegedly assaulting:
The department said the woman was bleeding and suffering from injuries when officers arrived. She was taken to the hospital for treatment. Just before midnight, police received a report on the 1200 block of Market Street from a man who said he was set on fire, the department said. 'Investigators determined that this man was the suspect who battered the pregnant woman from the earlier incident at 900 6th Avenue,' police said. 'Investigators have since determined the pregnant female was responsible for the burn injuries.'
San Diego Police say the video shows Rowin attacking the pregnant woman first.
"This is a complex investigation, and detectives are examining all aspects and allegations. The San Diego Police Department takes all crimes of violence extremely seriously. We recognize the community’s interest in this case and are working to balance transparency with protecting the active criminal investigations."
Rowin posted an image of the burns on his Instagram account, with the caption, "Yup ... this happened ... Gay bashed and set on fire by some random dudes." After publication of his story not adding up, he has since put his Instagram account on private.
HATE HOAX EXPOSED: #Antifa, leftists & media have been spreading claims that a gay San Diego man was set on fire by homophobes. Scott Rowin says he was called a fa—ot by two men before being set aflame in Hillcrest, San Diego's gay neighborhood.@SanDiegoPD are investing & have… pic.twitter.com/XSdlV4lzvM
— Andy Ngô 🏳️🌈 (@MrAndyNgo) June 22, 2023