Hell's Kitchen Hammer Assault: Police Release Video, Seek Suspect

HELL'S KITCHEN, NY — Police released footage on Monday showing Sunday's unprovoked attack on a 31-year-old Asian woman in Hell's Kitchen, which left her with head wounds from being hit with a hammer.

The assault happened around 8:45 p.m. Sunday as the victim, a 31-year-old woman, was walking with a 29-year-old woman on West 42nd Street between Ninth and 10th avenues.

They were approached by another woman they did not know, who demanded that they take off their face masks, police said. The woman then struck the victim with a hammer, causing lacerations to the head.

The victim was taken to NYU Langone hospital in stable condition, while the suspect fled east along West 42nd Street toward Ninth Avenue.

The NYPD's Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating the assault as a hate crime, police said. No arrests have been made and the suspect has not been identified.

Sunday, May 2nd at approx 8:40 PM, at 411 W 42 St, Two Asian females, 31 and 29, were walking on the sidewalk when an unknown individual demanded they remove their masks and then struck the 31-year-old female in the head with a hammer causing a laceration. Info? 1-800-577-TIPS pic.twitter.com/FyWWAPhJyY
— NYPD Hate Crimes (@NYPDHateCrimes) May 3, 2021

The victim, a recent graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology, said she remains traumatized by the attack, ABC7 reported.

Steve Olsen, proprietor of the West Bank Cafe, told W42ST magazine that he witnessed the aftermath of the assault, which happened between the West Bank and Ollie's Restaurant.

It occurred just a block away from where 65-year-old Vilma Kari was shoved to the ground and stomped on last month, a brutal attack that provoked widespread outrage and raised fears about rising violence against Asians. Police charged 38-year-old Brandon Elliot, a convicted murderer who lived in a nearby shelter, with committing the assault.

Police asked anyone with information about the suspect to call the NYPD Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). People can also submit tips online or on Twitter, @NYPDTips.