72-Year-Old Man’s Jaw Broken in Brutal New York Attack
Four teenagers allegedly beat a 72-year-old in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood while yelling anti-LGBTQ slurs.
Police arrested three teenage suspects in the brutal beating of an elderly man that left him with a broken jaw.
The suspects — ages 13, 14, and 16 — were arrested Monday and charged with gang assault, hate crime assault, and criminal possession of a weapon, as reported by New York’s WPIX.
A fourth suspect remains at large.
According to police, a group of four surrounded the 72-year-old victim near the intersection of West 17th Street and Ninth Avenue in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood, around 10:15 p.m. on September 15.
They allegedly yelled anti-gay comments at the victim during the attack, including, “What are you doing around here, you fucking f****t?” They then kicked and punched the victim and struck him with various objects while yelling anti-gay slurs.
They fled the scene on foot, running into the Fulton Houses, at 420 West 19th Street, police say.
The victim made his way to an area hospital by private means, and was treated for a broken jaw and cuts to his hands and face, reports the New York Daily News.
The New York Police Department released photos of the suspects on Sunday, asking for the public’s help in identifying them and tracking them down.
Because a fourth suspect has not yet been identified or arrested, police are asking anyone with information to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-8477 (TIPS), or for Spanish speakers, 1-888-577-4782 (1-88-57-PISTA).
They can also provide information via the Crime Stoppers website, at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, the Crime Stoppers mobile app, or by texting 274637 (CRIMES) and entering TIP577. All tips will be kept confidential.
This latest attack continues a disturbing trend of rising anti-LGBTQ hate crimes in New York City since the end of COVID-era lockdowns.
Last month, a man in Queens was severely beaten by a group of five men who hurled anti-gay slurs at him while beating him in front of a popular restaurant.
That same month, police arrested a man who is accused of groping a woman on the subway and breaking her nose while yelling anti-gay slurs at her after she objected to his actions.
A similar incident occurred last December, in which a woman was assaulted and threatened with stabbing at a Manhattan subway station while her attacker yelled an anti-lesbian slur at her.
Other disturbing incidents include the beating of a female jogger by a shirtless man in August, the stabbing of a gay man on the subway in June, and the shooting of a gay investment banker on the subway last year.
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