The NYPD’s Hate Crime Task Force is searching for a man who allegedly assaulted two men while hurling homophobic slurs on a Hell’s Kitchen street early Sunday, police said.
According to investigators, the attack happened around 12:15 a.m. on Sept. 28 in front of 411 West 52nd St., within Manhattan’s Midtown North Precinct.
Police said a 25-year-old man and a 28-year-old man were walking along the street when an unidentified man approached them, made a series of derogatory statements, including homophobic and racial slurs, and punched both victims in the face.
The attacker then ran east on West 52nd Street and fled in an unknown direction, authorities said.
Both victims sustained minor injuries but refused medical treatment at the scene, police said.
On Friday, police released images of the man sought in connection with the assault and are asking for the public’s help to identify him.
The suspect is described as a man with a dark complexion. He was last seen wearing a dark-colored T-shirt, blue jeans, and black-and-white sneakers.
Anyone with information regarding the incident can call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS (for Spanish, dial 888-57-PISTA). You can also submit tips online at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, or on X (formerly Twitter) @NYPDTips. All calls and messages are kept confidential
The Midtown North Precinct, where the Sept. 28 incident occurred, has recorded 12 reported hate crimes through Oct. 5 this year, up from eight during the same period in 2024, according to police data.
