September 18, 2013
1 Arrested in Hate Crime in NYC's Chelsea District
Jason St. Amand READ TIME: 1 MIN.
The NYPD has arrested a suspect in connection with a bias attack on a gay couple leaving a movie theater last month.
Police say Alfonso Lainer was charged Tuesday with aggravated harassment and assault as a hate crime.
More suspects were being sought.
Police say Peter Notman and Michael Felenchak were attacked on Aug. 14 as they left the Chelsea Bowtie Cinemas on West 25th Street.
They say two men approached them yelling anti-gay slurs, then punched and kicked them repeatedly. Three or four other men joined in the attack.
The victims were treated at a hospital and released.
It was not immediately clear if Lainer had a lawyer.
