Bar owner attacked with egg, anti-gay slurs in Hell's Kitchen

HELL'S KITCHEN, Manhattan (WABC) -- Police are searching for three teens who allegedly hurled anti-gay slurs and one even threw an egg at a bar owner's face in Hell's Kitchen.

What began with a birthday toast at a bar on 10th Avenue, ended with the chase and homophobic slurs.

"He called me *expletive*," said Eric Einstein, the bar's owner.

It happened early Saturday evening, at the Hardware Bar in Hell's Kitchen, a known gay bar.

Einstein was celebrating a friend's birthday when an egg was thrown and hit him.

"Out of the corner of my eye I saw something come towards me and it hit me right on the jaw. I thought it was maybe a full bottle of water or something not fully solid but heavy," Einstein said.

Einstein saw three teenage boys staring at him then take off. He chased after them and caught up with one.

Seconds later, the kid's two friends circled back. When it was three against one, Einstein let go of the teenager and called police.

Eyewitness News blurred the boy's face because he might be a minor. The police have a clear image and are now investigating this as aggravated harassment and as a possible bias incident.