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Man Throws Molotov Cocktail at Muslim and Hasidic Men in Midtown: NYPD

By Aidan Gardiner | October 13, 2015 9:11am
Man Throws Molotov Cocktail in Midtown, NYPD Says
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NYPD

MANHATTAN — A man threw a Molotov cocktail at a group of Hasidic and Muslim men in Midtown Friday in a possible bias attack, police said.

The suspect, who can be seen clutching a bottle in surveillance footage released by police, got into an argument with a 44-year-old Muslim food vendor near 365 W. 37th St., near Ninth Avenue, about 1:30 p.m., NYPD officials said.

A pair of Hasidic men, both 20, tried to intervene, but only further angered the suspect, police said.

He also threatened to kill the men before throwing a glass bottle filled with flammable liquid and a flaming rag at them, police said.

The glass shattered and spread flaming liquid across the sidewalk, police said.

None of the men were injured, officials said.

The suspect fled the scene and hadn't been arrested as of Tuesday morning, police said.

The suspect, who is 5-foot-9 and about 215 pounds, was also carrying a backpack, police said.

The NYPD's hate crime task force was investigating the incident, an NYPD spokesman said.

Anyone with information should contact Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS (8477).