Investigators say a 25-year-old woman was walking down 1st Avenue near East 57th Street on Tuesday.
That's when the suspect walked up to her, made anti-Asian comments and tried to hit her with a closed fist before running off.
The woman was not hurt.
The NYPD's Hate Crimes Task Force has been notified.
Police are asking for the public's help locating the suspect.
Call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). You can also submit tips by visiting the CrimeStoppers website at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org or by messaging on Twitter @NYPDTips.
MORE NEWS: Asian man body slammed by ranting man in broad daylight attack in NYC
Asian man body slammed by ranting man in broad daylight attack
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