The possible hate crime happened Tuesday in the Flatiron District. Gladys Chen says it was a left hook that came out of nowhere. Police say the Manhattan resident was standing on the N/R/W train platform at 23rd Street when a woman, without saying a word clocked her square in the face.
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Investigators say the unprovoked punch was so hard it popped a contact lens right out of her eye and left her nose bloody.
"My nose is like still quite tender, although the bleeding, it's weird. The bleeding was from that nostril," Chen said.
Chen says she noticed her assailant in a rage when she entered the station, so she walked to the other end.
"It's clear that she's mentally ill," she said.
However, when Chen was not looking, the suspect lunged at her, singling her out. She and her sister were the only Asians standing on the platform.
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Police say the suspect was a white woman with brown hair in a ponytail, about 5'4 and 180 pounds.
Chen is about the same height, which means her assailant had at least a 50-pound advantage on her.
"She was stout, like hulking," Chen said.
Chen's assault is being investigated as a possible hate crime.
"If I'm being honest, I've had moments of intense rage where I'm like 'Oh my god if I could redo everything, I would've chased after her," she added.
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