July 3, 2025 FAR ROCKAWAY, NY – A brutal anti-LGBTQ+ attack on a 28-year-old woman in Far Rockaway on the night of Tuesday, June 24, has ignited outrage and a renewed call for vigilance against hate. The NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force is actively investigating the assault, but three suspects remain at large, prompting urgent pleas from community leaders for information.
The victim was walking near 18-26 Village Lane around 8:30 p.m. when she was accosted by three men. Police report the assailants spewed hateful anti-LGBTQ+ slurs before repeatedly punching her. In a horrifying escalation, one attacker strangled her into unconsciousness. The suspects then fled the scene, leaving the woman battered and bruised.
Officers from the 101st Precinct, responding to a 911 call, found the victim and immediately called for EMS. She was transported to St. John’s Episcopal Hospital, where she is listed in stable condition.
Community Leaders Condemn Vicious Attack
The incident, occurring in the midst of Pride Month, has drawn strong condemnation from local officials. Council Member Selvena Brooks-Powers expressed her horror and heartbreak in a statement. "No one should ever face violence or dehumanization because of who they are," Brooks-Powers asserted. "The reported use of anti-LGBTQ slurs in the assault is sickening and unacceptable."
Brooks-Powers also emphasized her solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community, demanding justice and urging the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force to thoroughly investigate and apprehend the perpetrators. "This attack, taking place during Pride Month and in our own backyard, is a painful reminder that hate has not gone away — and that we must remain vigilant in confronting bigotry wherever it appears."
Assembly Member Jenifer Rajkumar echoed these sentiments, expressing devastation not only over the Far Rockaway attack but also another recent homophobic assault in Midtown Manhattan.
Alarming Rise in Anti-LGBTQ+ Hate Crimes
Rajkumar highlighted a disturbing national trend of increasing hate crimes against the LGBTQ+ community. She cited a recent Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) report revealing 932 anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes in the past year, averaging about 2.5 per day. Even more troubling, half of these incidents targeted transgender individuals, marking a 14% increase.
"These incidents are part of an alarming trend," Rajkumar stated, calling for the perpetrators in both New York City attacks to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
