Man makes anti-Asian statement, assaults woman inside subway walkway in Midtown

MIDTOWN, Manhattan (WABC) -- The NYPD Hate Crime Task Force is investigating after a woman said a man made an anti-Asian statement towards her and struck her in the back of the head Saturday.

Police say the 37-year-old woman was inside the Lexington Avenue/51st Street subway station in Midtown around 8:45 p.m.

She told officers she was transferring from a southbound 6 train to the E train when a man followed her inside of the walkway.

She says he made an anti-Asian statement and struck the back of her head with his hand.

The woman was not injured.

Investigators are now searching for the suspect, they're asking anyone who believes they have information on this incident to call them at 1-800-577-TIPS.

It happened the same day that police arrested a man who allegedly approached a 65-year-old woman on Friday in Midtown and yelled anti-Asian statements toward her.

Police have made an arrest in connection with a hate crime menacing incident in Midtown.

They're the latest in a rash of anti-Asian hate crimes that have taken place in the city this year.

The NYPD Hate Crime Task Force says it has investigated more than a dozen reported incidents against Asian Americans in 2021.

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