A 37-year-old man has been arrested in connection with an alleged hate crime attack on a 12-year-old boy that occurred in April near a playground on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Kevin Maxwell, of Brooklyn, was taken into custody early Sunday morning, according to the New York Police Department.
The incident reportedly took place on the evening of April 29 at the NYCHA Baruch Houses. Police stated that Maxwell approached the boy, hurled anti-LGBTQIA+ slurs at him, and then struck him with a belt.
According to reports, Maxwell allegedly said to the boy, “Are you stupid or something? You gay f—. Shut the f–k up.” The 12-year-old sustained minor injuries as a result of the alleged assault. Maxwell fled the scene following the incident and remained at large for several months.
Maxwell faces multiple charges, including two counts of hate crime assault, three counts of assault, acting in a manner injurious to a child, hate crime/menacing, and menacing. Police had previously released a sketch of a suspect described as having a beard and wearing a hooded sweatshirt.