Answer
On October 6, 1998, Matthew Shepard, a 21-year-old gay student at the University of Wyoming, was brutally attacked and left tied to a fence near Laramie, Wyoming. The assault, motivated by homophobic hatred, lasted several hours and resulted in severe injuries that ultimately led to Shepard's death five days later. Shepard's case gained national attention, becoming a symbol of the ongoing struggle for LGBTQ+ rights and equality.