NYPD busts teen in homophobic Hell’s Kitchen knife, kick and punch attack
Cops nabbed a teenage boy for playing a part in a vicious homophobic attack in Hell’s Kitchen.
The unidentified 17-year-old was picked up in Manhattan at about 5:50 a.m. Thursday and hit with a slew of charges, including three counts of hate crime assault, two counts of regular assault, hate crime aggravated harassment and criminal possession of a weapon.
Cops are still searching for his six accomplices. The group barked anti-gay slurs at a man before punching, kicking and stabbing him in an unprovoked Manhattan attack on April 5.
The 44-year-old victim was on 10th Ave. near W. 44th St. in Hell’s Kitchen when the group approached him and made homophobic remarks around 11:30 p.m., according to police.
Two of the suspects slugged the victim multiple times in the face while others repeatedly kicked him. Another attacker pulled a knife and stabbed the victim in the thigh, cops said. It remained unclear what role exactly the 17-year-old played in the attack.
The group then ran off heading east on W. 44th St. before turning right on to 9th Ave. and continuing south.
Medics rushed the victim to Mount Sinai West to be treated for the stab wound, among other more minor injuries, police said. He was in stable condition the next day.
The NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating the incident, cops said.
Surveillance footage of the hateful crew showed most of them in hooded sweatshirts, with some wearing ski masks.
Anyone with information on the attack is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).
