NYPD: Teen Suspects Wanted In Violent Hate Crime In Astoria, Queens
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The NYPD is searching for three teen suspects in connection to a violent attack on a 19-year-old victim in Queens earlier this week.
According to police, the victim was walking along 10th Street between 33rd and 34th Avenues in Astoria on Wednesday, April 27, when he was approached by the suspects.
One of the suspects punched the victim several times in the face, while the two other suspects threatened him with a metal pipe and a bat, CBS2's Magdalena Doris reported.
The victim told police he was minding his own business walking along the section of sidewalk near his home around 1:30 p.m. when he was confronted, CBS2's Dave Carlin reported.
According to police, the suspects were allegedly yelling "ISIS, ISIS," and "Arab" throughout the attack.
The suspects fled the scene after a bystander saw the incident, police said. The victim sustained minor injuries and refused medical attention.
The NYPD says the suspects chose the victim based on his race and has deemed this incident as a hate crime.
"He ran to me and he was like 'these kids are trying to hurt me,'" one witness told 1010 WINS' Roger Stern.
Neighbor Ron Garcia was on the sidewalk and said he also witnessed the attack.
"By the gate right there they pushed him up there and that's when they went to take the swing on the pipe with him. He averted it, he moved out of the way and when he made his way to me that's when they ran up the block," he said.
Ray Bisram, the victim's father, said his son has a big bump on his head, but did not go to the hospital.
"It's shocking because it happened so fast," he told CBS2.
He calls the three suspects hoodlums who must be caught soon.
The victim's next-door-neighbor said said he's known him for more then a decade and that his parents moved to the area from Guyana.
"He's a very quiet kid, a very decent kid. He's working part-time at the pharmacy," Mike Hiralall told CBS2.
Police describe the suspects as between 17 and 18 years old and all have dark hair. Surveillance footage of the suspects can be viewed by clicking on the video above.
The NYPD is asking anyone for information about the incident to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS. Callers can remain anonymous.
