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Police Investigating Subway Attack on Transgender Woman as Hate Crime: NYPD

By Lisha Arino | June 3, 2015 1:35pm | Updated on June 3, 2015 1:53pm
Police Release Footage of Assault Suspect
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NYPD

NOHO — Police are now treating a recent subway attack as a hate crime after the victim identified herself as transgender.

The NYPD’s Hate Crime Task Force is looking into a June 1 incident in which a man “acting erratically” pushed a woman onto the subway tracks after throwing a plastic bottle at her, a spokeswoman said.

The 28-year-old woman — whose injuries included cuts on her chin, a sprained wrist and numerous scratches and bruises — told authorities she was transgender, according to police sources.

Police said the suspect approached the woman around 9 a.m. on the southbound 6 train platform at the Bleecker Street stop and asked her “What are you looking at?”

The man — dressed in a light blue shirt and khakis, according to video released by the NYPD — then ran up to a trash can, pulled out an empty plastic bottle and threw it at the woman before shoving her into the tracks.

The woman made it back onto the platform with the help of some good Samaritans, police said. She was treated and released from Bellevue Hospital.

In response to the attack, the New York City Anti-Violence Project will hold a community outreach event Friday to raise awareness about the violence against transgender individuals and the LGBT community as a whole, said Shelby Chestnut, the organization's co-director of community organizing and public advocacy.

"We're saddened this occurred," she said.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS, visit its website or text 274637(CRIMES) then enter TIP577.