Weekend Crime Blotter: Homophobic Attack in Williamsburg, Pepper Spray on the 2 Train & More
WILLIAMSBURG – Police are looking for the suspect who assaulted two men in a homophobic, anti-gay attack over the weekend.
Police said the attack occurred near the intersection of Union and Metropolitan Avenues, just before 1:00 am on Sunday, September 23.
The suspect approached two men, ages 29 and 34, outside 540 Metropolitan Avenue and “made anti-sexual orientation statements” before assaulting the men, said police. The scene of the hateful, homophobic attack was between two popular Williamsburg gay bars.
The suspect punched the 34-year old victim in the face, knocking him unconscious, before slamming the 29-year old into a tree, knocking him out as well, police said. The 34-year old was taken to Bellvue Hospital with a fractured shoulder, while the 29-year old was treated at Woodhull for a broken finger.
A photo of the assailant, who fled the scene before police arrived, can be seen below:
EAST FLATBUSH – A fight on a southbound 2 train sent 15 passengers to the hospital after a man sprayed pepper spray at his attacker in a crowded subway car over the weekend.
The incident occurred around 9:00 pm, while the train was approaching the Beverly Road station in East Flatbush on Saturday, September 22, police said. A verbal dispute between two passengers turned into a fight and one of the men sprayed the other with pepper spray—along with the rest of the car.
Police said 15 passengers on the train suffered from nausea and skin irritation, choking on the burning pepper spray as they piled out of the subway at the station. All were treated and released at nearby hospitals.
Both men involved in the fight fled in unknown directions, said police, but surveillance video of the suspect can be seen below:
BED-STUY – Police are looking for the bandit that robbed the same Bed-Stuy 7-Eleven twice in two days this month. The return-robber targeted the store at 1239 Fulton Street, before Bedford and Nostrand Avenues.
The first time was just before 6:00 am on Saturday, September 15, when the suspect entered the store and threatened the 30-year old employee on duty with violence, before reaching over the counter and stealing $80 from the till, police said. No weapon was used in the commission of the crime and the employee wasn’t harmed.
The next night on Sunday, September 16, the suspect returned to the scene of the crime around 8:00 pm, this time threatening the 19-year old employee on duty. This time, however, the employee refused to comply, and the suspect fled eastbound down Fulton, police said.
Video surveillance of the suspect from both incidents can be seen below:
BAY RIDGE – Finally, police have announced an arrest in the assault of a 17-year old at the Bay Ridge subway station earlier this month.
On Friday, September 14, at 8:50 a.m., the suspect assaulted a teenager on the Northbound side of the “R” train by punching him in his face and then snatched his headphones.
Over the weekend, police announced they’d arrested a 15-year old in connection with the crime.
Anyone with information in regard to the above incidents 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 at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577. All calls are strictly confidential.
