Metro Weekly

Two Men Beaten in Suspected Anti-Gay Attack in Manhattan

The men were punched and kicked while their assailants shouted homophobic slurs, according to New York City police.

Two suspects in connection with an anti-gay hate crime in Manhattan - Photo: NYPD
Two suspects in connection with an anti-gay hate crime in Manhattan – Photo: NYPD

Two men were beaten and subjected to anti-gay slurs in what police believe was a bias-motivated attack in downtown Manhattan last month.

The victims, ages 31 and 37, were walking on Broadway near West 29th Street around 7:30 p.m. on July 31 when two men approached them and made anti-LGBTQ remarks, according to the New York Daily News.

The assailants then repeatedly punched and kicked the victims while shouting homophobic slurs, according to police. The suspects fled south on Broadway.

Both victims suffered minor injuries. The younger man was treated at the scene, while the older victim was taken to NYU Langone Tisch Hospital. The relationship between the two victims remains unclear.

The New York Police Department released images of the suspects, both of whom had dark hair and wore dark T-shirts and light-colored sneakers. One wore black track pants with a white stripe down each side and carried a black bag with two large colored dots, while the other wore blue or gray pants.

No arrests have been made. The NYPD’s Hate Crime Task Force is investigating the assault as a possible hate crime.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), submit a tip through the Crime Stoppers website or mobile app, or text 274637 (CRIMES) followed by TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers may call 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). All calls and tips will remain confidential.

Sign Up for Our Free Magazine & Newsletter

* indicates required

Support Metro Weekly’s Journalism

These are challenging times for news organizations. And yet it’s crucial we stay active and provide vital resources and information to both our local readers and the world. So won’t you please take a moment and consider supporting Metro Weekly with a membership? For as little as $5 a month, you can help ensure Metro Weekly magazine and MetroWeekly.com remain free, viable resources as we provide the best, most diverse, culturally-resonant LGBTQ coverage in both the D.C. region and around the world. Memberships come with exclusive perks and discounts, your own personal digital delivery of each week’s magazine (and an archive), access to our Member's Lounge when it launches this fall, and exclusive members-only items like Metro Weekly Membership Mugs and Tote Bags! Check out all our membership levels here and please join us today!