Authorities are searching for six individuals who verbally and physically attacked an Asian woman on a subway train in Manhattan earlier this month.
The incident, which police are investigating as a hate crime, occurred on a southbound A train at the West 4th Street station around 1:45 p.m. on Dec. 17.
The suspects — three men and three women — reportedly confronted the 32-year-old victim for not wearing a mask and insulted her with anti-Asian statements related to the coronavirus.
The verbal altercation escalated into a physical assault that saw the victim get punched in the face several times, according to ABC7 New York.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) requires all commuters to wear a face mask in an effort to combat the spread of COVID-19. The victim, who suffered “substantial pain” in the attack, refused treatment for her injuries on the scene.
The Hate Crimes Task Force of the New York Police Department is investigating the incident. Surveillance photos of some of the suspects have been released.
Police described four of the suspects as follows, according to FOX 5 New York:
- Female with a medium complexion and dark-colored hair; last seen wearing a camouflage jacket with a fur hood and a gray faux fur head wrap
- Female with a dark complexion; last seen wearing a black jacket and a blue hat
- Female with a dark complexion and long braided hair; last seen wearing a black jacket and a turtleneck sweater
- Male with a dark complexion; last seen wearing an orange hooded sweatshirt and a red mask
Anyone with information on the incident is urged to contact the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). A $2,500 reward is in place.
Feature Images via NYPD Crime Stoppers
