Detectives are looking for a suspect who attacked a masked Asian woman with a hammer in Hell’s Kitchen.
According to police, at 8:40 p.m. on May 2 a 31-year-old woman and 29-year-old woman were walking in front of 411 West 42nd Street when they were approached by an unknown woman. The suspect demanded that the victims, who are both Asian-American, take off their masks.
The suspect then proceeded to hit the 31-year-old in the head with a hammer. Video shows the suspect continuing the altercation before ultimately fleeing on foot. EMS responded and took the victim, who suffered a laceration to her head, to NYU Medical Center. The NYPD’s Hate Crime Task Force is investigating a possible bias.
Police released photos and video taken of the suspect from the incident location:
Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to 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 their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website or on Twitter @NYPDTips. All calls are strictly confidential.
“I am disgusted by this violent attack in Midtown Manhattan, the latest seemingly senseless and despicable hate crime against Asian Americans in this state. We will do everything in our power to protect those who are vulnerable to these attacks and to hold cowardly perpetrators accountable to the full extent of the law,” said Governor Cuomo. “I am directing the New York State Police Hate Crimes Task Force to offer their assistance in the investigation of this violent attack.”
Updated at 12:17 p.m.
