73-year-old woman attacked by homophobe in public. Police hunt for suspect.

An unknown individual attacked a 73-year-old woman with homophobic slurs in New York City. Police are now seeking the suspect while investigating aggravated harassment and hate crime charges.

The incident occurred on Tuesday, May 21, at around 9:45 p.m. in the Lenox Hill neighborhood on Manhattan’s east side, according to East Side Feed. While the woman walked outside, a younger shirtless male allegedly made anti-gay statements and threatened her before fleeing on foot.

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Police released surveillance footage of the suspect soon afterward and have asked for the public’s assistance in identifying them. Though the woman remained uninjured, the New York Police Department’s (NYPD) Hate Crimes Task Force is still investigating nonetheless.

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Police have asked anyone with information to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or the Spanish-language line at 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). People can also provide information at the CrimeStoppers website or via direct message to @NYPDTips on X. All tips are kept confidential. 

The number of hate crimes in New York City has steadily risen over the last few years, according to the NYPD. A majority of these crimes have targeted Jewish individuals, followed by Black, Asian, and gay male individuals. Most have involved felony incidents of assault, robbery, or mischief.

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