Chelsea Teens Get Hate Crime Raps for Allegedly Brutalizing Man, Uttering Antigay Slurs

For a September 15 attack that left a 72 year-old with a broken jaw, a trio of minors have been hit with hate crime, gang assault and criminal possession of a weapon raps by the NYPD. A fourth suspect either remains at large or wasn’t arrested.

| 10 Oct 2023 | 02:56

After a September 15 beatdown in Chelsea reportedly subjected a 72 year-old to a barrage of homophobic slurs and left him with a broken jaw, three teenage suspects have been arrested on the morning of October 9, the NYPD told Straus News. One suspect either remains at large or was not arrested. Although the alleged attack took place on 9th Ave. & W. 17th St. in Chelsea, they were taken into custody within the confines of the 7th Precinct on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.

The three apprehended teens were hit with hate crime, gang assault, and criminal possession of a weapon charges, cops said. They remain unidentified due to their status as minors, but range in age from 13 to 16.

According to a police report, the group of boys had approached the older man at around 10:15 p.m. and began to hurl “anti-LGBTQIA+ statements” at him. They also reportedly asked him what he was doing “around here,” in a seeming reference to the Chelsea neighborhood.

The assault began shortly thereafter. After punching, kicking, and using unspecified “items” to pummel the man, they quickly bolted into 420 West 19 Street. NYCHA maps indicate that the building belongs to the Fulton Houses project.

Cops said that the victim suffered from a broken jaw and various lacerations to his face and hands. He was able to make it to an “area hospital” using private transport.