NYC subway attack that left woman with fractured spine investigated as alleged hate crime

The NYPD are searching for a suspect in an alleged hate crime. (Photo: Twitter/NYPD)
The NYPD are searching for a suspect in an alleged hate crime. (Photo: Twitter/NYPD)

Police are searching for a suspect after a 20-year-old woman was attacked on an E train in New York City by a man who allegedly thought she was a lesbian.

The unnamed woman was taken to the hospital and treated for a fractured spine after being punched in the back of the head and shoved to the ground aboard a subway in Queens on Nov. 30, according to the New York City Police Department.

In a Monday morning tweet, the NYPD announced that it’s searching for a man in his 50s or 60s who used a slur about the woman’s sexual orientation and pushed her to the ground. Gothamist reports that the suspect called the victim a “dyke” after seeing another woman kiss her on the cheek. He later attacked her from behind and caused her to hit her head, according to the police report.

The suspect got off the train at the next stop in Queens, leading the police on a manhunt.

The NYPD’s Hate Crime Task Force is investigating the attack, and a cellphone video was turned in to help identify the man. The suspect is black, 5’11”, and 220 pounds, according to the NYPD.

Police ask that anyone with information in regard to this incident call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or, for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit tips by logging on to the Crime Stoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM, on Twitter @NYPDTips, or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.

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