NYPD: Slight Increase In Anti-Gay Bias Attacks
NEW YORK (AP) -- New York City police say suspected anti-gay bias attacks are up slightly this year amid several high-profile incidents in recent weeks.
Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said so far there have been 50 reports of anti-gay bias attacks in the city, up from 43 the same time last year. That includes incidents like the assault on two teens and another man in the Bronx who police say were attacked after gang members found out their recruit was gay.
It also includes an incident at the Stonewall Inn, an important location in the gay rights movement.
Kelly said Thursday that, overall, there are on average about 200 reported incidents per year of bias attacks of all kinds in the city.
Kelly said that figure seems low in a city with 8 million residents. He believes such crimes are underreported.
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