Man Whipped 12-Year-Old Boy With Belt During Anti-Gay Hate Crime Attack In NYC: Police Report

NEW YORK, NY— A 37-year-old Brooklyn man faces hate crime charges after police said he called a 12-year-old boy anti-gay slurs and struck him repeatedly with a belt during an unprovoked attack at a Manhattan playground.

Police arrested Kevin Maxwell of Canarsie on Sunday and charged him with assault as a hate crime, menacing as a hate crime and acting in a manner injurious to a child.

Investigators said Maxwell confronted the boy outside a public restroom at Baruch Playground near Baruch Drive and East Houston Street on the Lower East Side about 12:45 a.m. on April 29.

Police said Maxwell and the child did not know each other.

According to investigators, Maxwell approached the boy and yelled, "Are you stupid or something? You gay f—-t,"before whipping him with a belt.

The boy suffered minor injuries, police said.

Investigators released a sketch of the suspect last month while asking the public for help identifying him.

The investigation led to Maxwell's arrest.

He awaits arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court.

What Does The Latest Hate Crime Data Show?

The arrest comes as New York City officials report an increase in hate crimes even as overall crime continues to decline.

Speaking during the NYPD's quarterly crime briefing, Mayor Zohran Mamdani said major crime has fallen nearly 6 percent citywide since January but warned that crimes targeting LGBTQ residents and Muslims have risen sharply.

"There is no room for hatred of any kind in our city," Mamdani said.

He also said the City's newly adopted budget increases hate crime prevention funding by more than 800 percent.

According to NYPD data, confirmed hate crimes motivated by sexual orientation increased 61.5 percent during the second quarter of 2026, rising from 13 cases during the same period a year earlier to 21.