An Asian American couple in their early 20s was assaulted near the Long Island City waterfront on Sept. 10 after a stranger shouted anti-Asian slurs and attacked them. The woman was struck in the head; the man was later sprayed with an unknown substance. They sought refuge at a nearby restaurant where staff helped them; both declined medical care. The NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating, reviewing surveillance footage, and no arrest has been announced.
Asian American Couple Assaulted Near Long Island City Waterfront; Suspect Returned During Attack
Image Credit: Fox 5 New York / YouTube.
A walk along the Long Island City waterfront turned violent on the evening of Sept. 10 when a young Asian American couple said a stranger shouted anti-Asian remarks and physically attacked them, according to local reporting.
The victims—a 21-year-old woman and her 22-year-old partner—were on a pedestrian path at about 8:30 p.m. when the encounter began. Witnesses and news reports say the assailant struck the woman in the back of the head and also hit the man. The couple moved away, but the attacker then returned and allegedly sprayed the man in the back of the head with an unknown substance.
The pair ran toward Hunter's Point South Park and sought refuge at Frank Ottomanelli's By The Water restaurant, where employees intervened to help. Workers calmed the couple and provided napkins so the man could clean the substance from his hair. Both victims declined medical attention at the scene.
Investigation and conflicting descriptions
The NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating the incident. Police told local outlets the suspect remains an "unknown person," and no arrest had been announced as of the latest reports. However, the female victim later posted on social media describing the attacker as a woman. Hunters Point Civic Association President James Edstrom told QNS he had noticed a woman near the restaurant whom he believed may have followed the couple; that observation has not been independently verified.
The attack falls under the jurisdiction of the NYPD's 108th Precinct, which covers Long Island City, Sunnyside and Woodside. The precinct's CompStat report through Sept. 6 recorded seven hate crimes so far in 2026 versus five during the same period in 2025 (a 40% increase). The report also listed 207 felony assaults year to date, compared with 204 in the equivalent period last year (a 1.5% rise). The NYPD says these figures are preliminary and subject to revision.
The Hate Crimes Task Force said officers are reviewing surveillance footage as part of efforts to identify the person responsible. Police and community leaders encourage anyone with information or relevant video to contact investigators as the probe continues.
Note: Authorities have not released a detailed public description of a suspect. Reports conflict on the attacker’s gender; investigators are reviewing footage and witness accounts.
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