Police have released a sketch and a video of a man they believe was responsible for a knifepoint rape in Greenpoint earlier this month.
Police say the man he is between 25 and 35 years old, 5-foot-9 with a medium build, and dark hair. He was wearing a black T-shirt with a design on the front, blue jeans, and was carrying a backpack.
The man attacked the woman on Java Street early in the morning on Sunday, June 16. He put a knife up to her face, pulled her down to the ground and told her he was raping her because she was gay.
Greenpoint residents say they are horrified and will be on high alert until the man is caught.
“Greenpoint always seems fairly safe and then something like this happens,” said 32-year-old Shira Blackman. “I’m going to take a car home for a while.”
On Monday evening, Councilman Steve Levin gathered a group of volunteers to stand outside the Greenpoint Avenue G train stop and hand out fliers to make sure as many people as possible heard about the attack.
“We are deeply troubled by reports that the survivor of this attack may have been targeted because of her sexual orientation,” Levin said in a statement he jointly released with Council Speaker Christine Quinn. “New York City’s greatest strength is our diversity, but in recent months, there has been an unacceptable increase in hate crimes.”
Reach reporter Danielle Furfaro at dfurfaro@cnglocal.com or by calling (718) 260-2511. Follow her at twitter.com/DanielleFurfaro.
