New York, N.Y. – Two Bronx residents have been charged in connection with a hate-fueled attack on a 26-year-old man outside a Lower East Side building in September, police said.
Kevin Tellez, 36, of Leland Avenue, and Manuel Almonte, 32, of Stratford Avenue, were each charged with multiple hate crime offenses, including assault and menacing.
The incident occurred around 3:15 a.m. on September 8 in front of an East Houston Street address, within the 7th Precinct.
Authorities said the pair approached the victim, made anti-immigration remarks, and then punched and slashed him in the arm before fleeing.
Victim hospitalized after bias-driven attack
The victim was taken by EMS to NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue in stable condition. Investigators said the attack was motivated by bias related to the victim’s perceived national origin.
Police initially released surveillance images of two unidentified suspects described as men in their mid-20s with brown hair, brown eyes, and slender builds. Both were later identified through investigation as Tellez and Almonte.
Multiple hate crime charges filed
Tellez faces six counts of hate crime/assault, four counts of assault, two counts of menacing, one count of aggravated harassment, and one count of hate crime/menacing.
Almonte faces charges of hate crime/assault, hate crime/menacing, menacing, hate crime/harassment, and assault.
NYPD continues hate crime enforcement efforts
The NYPD Hate Crime Task Force continues to investigate bias incidents across the city amid ongoing efforts to address hate-related violence. Police urged the public to report hate crimes by calling 1-800-577-TIPS or submitting information anonymously through the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers program.