NEW YORK (1010 WINS) – An Asian man was punched and bitten in Manhattan this week by a man who told him to "go back to your country," police said as they released surveillance video of a suspect.
The victim was attacked near W. 43rd Street and 11th Avenue in Hell's Kitchen on Tuesday morning.
Police said a man came up to the victim and punched him in the face at random just before 10 a.m.
The man then told the victim, "Go back to your country," before repeatedly punching him in the face and biting two of his fingers, severing the tip of his middle finger, police said.
EMS took the victim to Mt. Sinai West Hospital, where he was treated for lacerations to his forehead, a severed fingertip and swelling to his eye.
His attacker then took off northbound down 11th Avenue, according to police.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo released a statement about the attack and said he had directed the state police's Hate Crimes Task Force to offer assistance to the NYPD as it investigated.
"In what has now become an alarming, disgusting pattern, we have learned that yet another Asian American was attacked violently in Manhattan," Cuomo said. "This needs to end. I want the Asian American community to remember that we stand with them against hate. As New Yorkers we are forever proud of our diversity and we reject any cowardly attempts to divide us."
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.
