Attacker on the loose after shouting gay slur, stabbing man on Manhattan subway
Thomas McDonald
|
Police are searching for a man suspected of shouting a gay slur at a passenger on a Manhattan subway and then stabbing him.
“Yo big ass want to sit down with your legs crossed, f—-t,” the attacker shouted at the victim, leading to an altercation that spilled onto the platform shortly before the stabbing occurred around 3:30 A.M. Monday, according to police.
RELATED STORY: Mainstream media outlets silent on cop shooter’s ties to black militia groups
The 29-year-old victim was taking part in Pride Month celebrations before taking the subway. He was sent to Mount Sinai West for treatment for non-life-threatening injuries to his chest and torso.
The suspect, who fled the scene before police arrived is described as a dark-skinned man, 5 feet, 11 inches tall, and weighing 185lbs with a medium build and partial facial hair, according to police who released surveillance footage of the attack. He was last seen wearing a red Chicago Bulls hat, a gold chain around his neck, a black shirt, green cargo shorts, and multicolored sneakers, police said.
RELATED STORY: Pair charged in shooting over spicy chicken sandwich at Tennessee Burger King
The stabbing is being investigated by the NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force.
The stabbing comes days after New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez received backlash for comments that downplayed the growing crime rates in America’s cities as “hysteria.”
“We are seeing these headlines about percentage increases,…Now, I want to say that any amount of harm is unacceptable and too much, but I also want to make sure that this hysteria, you know, that this doesn’t drive a hysteria and that we look at these numbers in context so that we can make responsible decisions about what to allocate in that context,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
RELATED STORY: Juneteenth celebrators stop ambulance in street to twerk, dance on roof following deadly shooting
Homicides in New York City are up 12% from last year, according to the NYPD crime statistics. Shootings in New York City have risen 60% from last year, according to data collected by the National Fraternal Order of Police.
“There is nothing “hysterical” about wanting to address violent crime in your neighborhood. Wanting to feel safe is not crazy. Actually, wanting to defund the men and women who protect us from crime sounds more like hysteria to me,” tweeted Mississippi Rep. Michael Guest in response to AOC’s comments.