A stranger on a bicycle allegedly stabbed a 38-year-old man in the left armpit in front of an Astoria apartment building while shouting anti-Hispanic statements, and more than two months later, police still haven't identified him. The NYPD released surveillance images of the suspect Tuesday, hoping a wider public push will finally crack the case.
The attack happened just before 1 p.m. on Aug. 20 outside 31-68 34th St., in the confines of the 114th Precinct, according to QNS. A man on a bike approached the victim and pulled him into a verbal dispute before stabbing him and shouting anti-Hispanic rhetoric, the outlet reported. The attacker then hopped back on his bicycle and fled south on 34th Street toward Broadway, according to the same report.
The victim made it to NYC Health and Hospitals/Elmhurst by private means and was listed in stable condition, QNS reported. The NYPD's Hate Crime Task Force has taken over the investigation, per the outlet's reporting, and is now offering a reward of up to $3,500 for information leading to an arrest and indictment.
What the Suspect Looks Like
Investigators describe the suspect as light-complexioned, roughly 35 to 40 years old, with a slim build, standing about 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighing around 200 pounds, according to the outlet's report. QNS reported that the NYPD described him as last seen wearing a white T-shirt, dark athletic pants with white stripes down the legs, white sneakers and a white baseball cap, riding a black bicycle.
NYPD Crime Stoppers posted about the case on X, writing that officers were seeking the public's help after the victim was approached by “an unidentified individual who engaged him in a verbal dispute” that turned violent. The agency has asked anyone with information to send a direct message to @NYPDTips or call 1-800-577-TIPS.
A Precinct Seeing More Reported Hate Crimes
The Astoria attack lands amid a documented rise in reported hate crimes in the area. Through Oct. 18, the 114th Precinct had logged 14 hate crimes for the year, eight more than the six reported at the same point in 2025, a 133.3% increase, per the same QNS report. Felony assaults overall, by contrast, were down in the precinct, with 378 reported through that date compared to 451 a year earlier, a 16.2% decline, the outlet noted.
At a separate citywide briefing, Mayor Mamdani and NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch cited a year-to-date rise in anti-Hispanic hate crimes of 83.3 percent, according to a transcript posted by the NYC Mayor's Office. The underlying count and comparison period behind that citywide figure were not detailed in the available transcript, and it's not clear how it relates to the precinct-level numbers reported separately.
A Similar Case Already in Manhattan Courts
The Astoria case isn't the only recent instance of an alleged anti-Hispanic attack in New York City making headlines. In Manhattan, District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg announced the indictment of Andre Cheeves, 35, who prosecutors say tried to attack a 51-year-old man with a metal bike chain while shouting anti-Hispanic remarks at the Fulton Street subway station, according to the Manhattan District Attorney's Office. That incident happened on June 27, 2025, at about 1:30 a.m., the office said, and Cheeves was charged with attempted assault in the second degree as a hate crime, menacing in the second degree as a hate crime, criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, and aggravated harassment in the second degree. The District Attorney's Office noted that the charges are allegations and that Cheeves is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
No such charges have been announced in the Astoria stabbing, and it remains an active search for an unidentified suspect. Anyone with information is urged to contact NYPD Crime Stoppers through a direct message to @NYPDTips or by calling 1-800-577-TIPS, with the $3,500 reward on the table for a tip that leads to an arrest and indictment.
