A man is behind bars tonight on charges of aggravated battery... and police believe it is a hate crime.

Officials say Dywon Florence, along with two other men, attacked the victim at the Gardenia Gardens apartments in Gainesville.

The fight got worse when the victims girlfriend tried to step into the argument. During the fight, all three men punched, kicked, and choked the victim.

Police are treating it as a possible hate crime because according to the victim the suspects yelled several obscenities at him.