A man at the East Tremont Avenue subway station in the Mount Hope section of the Bronx was hit with homophobic slurs, beaten with a hammer, and thrown onto the train tracks in the early morning hours on November 15, according to the NYPD.
Cops said it was around 1 a.m. when the alleged attacker walked up to the 21-year-old victim and called him a “fucking faggot,” leading to a verbal and physical altercation that prompted the bigot to pull out the hammer and shove the victim off the platform.
Despite landing on the tracks, the victim was not struck by any trains and escaped the scene with only minor injuries. He was transported to St. Barnabas Hospital in stable condition.
Police have yet to apprehend the attacker, but the NYPD described him as a Black man in his 30s, 5’10” and 150 pounds, with braided hair, and was last seen wearing gray sweatpants with a black coat. The city’s Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating the incident.
The alleged attack generated swift responses from elected officials. Governor Andrew Cuomo directed the state police’s Hate Crimes Task Force to assist the NYPD in the probe and said he is “absolutely sickened” by the attack.
“This horrific and ugly crime is repugnant to our values as New Yorkers, and we have zero tolerance for such vile acts of hate,” Cuomo said in a written statement. “While those fueled by hate try to spread fear and intolerance in our communities, New York will continue to be a beacon of hope and acceptance for all. When you attack one New Yorker, you attack all New Yorkers, and we want the LGBTQ community to know we will always have their backs.”
Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted about the attack, calling it “just reprehensible” and saying “hate has no home in this city.” He called on New Yorkers to contact the NYPD if they have any information about the attack.
City data shows that there were 35 anti-LGBTQ hate crime arrests through the first three quarters of this year, including 12 in the third quarter. Those cases ranged from attacks on gay men, lesbians, transgender folks, and others perceived to be LGBTQ.
