WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, NY — Shocking video shows a group of kids attacking a Black teen in a Washington Heights subway station as someone chants a racial slur, the NYPD confirmed Monday.
The attack is being investigated as a hate crime, police said.
The 15-year-old was pummeled by at least four teens on the platform of the West 181st Street A train station about 5:30 p.m. Friday, police said and video shows.
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The video begins with a young woman in a Chicago Bulls sweatshirt pulling the teen off an A train and screaming repeatedly, “Get off.”
A crowd follows and at least one person chants the N-word and “alert,” video shows.
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The group passes at least 20 other kids and 10 adults standing on the uptown platform, video shows.
The teen tries to get back on the train, but the girl drags him off again, another teen throws a punch and then the group tackles him, the video shows.
“Fight back” someone screams in the video.
The teen tries to defend himself as he’s thrown on a bench and his glasses are knocked from his face, the video shows.
The 15-year-old’s lip was cut and, according to police, his attackers broke his glasses.
Uptown’s 34th Precinct released photos on Monday afternoon of three suspects wanted in connection to the attack.
No arrests have been made as of Monday afternoon.
Upper Manhattan Council Member Carmen De La Rosa took to Twitter on Monday to respond to the “horrific and appalling” video.
“This scene is horrific and appalling; this is not the accepted behavior Uptown,” De La Rosa wrote. “We will be following up with the appropriate agencies to identify where we could best be of service.”
“We want to clearly condemn the biases and anti-Black reflected in this video and look forward to holding space for reflection and healing conversations in the future,” she added. “Uptown culture is driven by community, diversity, and positive cultural exchange; this scene is not reflective of that vision.”
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