Alleged Subway Attacker Fractures Woman's Spine, Hurls Anti-LGBT Slur

A homophobic subway attack in New York City left a 20-year-old woman with a spinal fracture, media reports say, after the alleged assailant berated her and another woman for sharing a kiss, hurled an anti-LGBTQ slur, and then brutally punched her as she tried to walk away from him.

Police released a photo of the alleged attacker and video purporting to show him aired on area ABC affiliate .

"The NYPD's Hate Crime Task Force is investigating an attack on board a subway train in Queens," the Channel 7 news anchor told viewers, going on to say that the incident took place on Nov. 30.

The report said that the suspect "used a homophobic slur" and then, as she walked away, approached her from behind and struck her on the back of the head. The suspect then ran from the train.

The New York Post also reported on the alleged hate crime, saying that the suspect began to berate the woman when another female passenger "gave her a peck on the cheek." After punching the victim from behind, the assailant reportedly yelled, "Kiss her again, you dyke!"

Media sources have reported in recent months on how hate crimes have spiked across the board since the 2016 elections. Trans women of color have been particularly hard hit, reports note, but violence against the LGBTQ community, in general, has risen sharply. The violence sometimes spills over, with straight people being targeted on occasion because they are perceived to be LGBTQ.

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