Brooklyn man arrested for anti-LGBTQ assault in Bed-Stuy

Police on Nov. 7 arrested a suspect accused of assaulting a woman and making anti-LGBTQ slurs, the NYPD said. 

The suspect, Richard Taylor, 28, faces hate crime charges for strangulation, assault, and harassment after police say he approached a 23-year-old female aboard a southbound Q train approaching Utica Avenue in the Bed-Stuy section of Brooklyn on Aug. 25.

Taylor attempted unsuccessfully to engage the victim in conversation before proceeding to punch and choke them, police said. 

Police confirmed to Gay City News that the charges are for anti-LGBTQ hate crimes, and the suspect allegedly called the victim a f****t. The NYPD did not confirm whether the incident occurred on a Q train, as that line does not typically stop at either of the two Utica Avenue stations. 

Taylor pleaded not guilty to charges related to the incident, and is expected to appear in court on November 13, Patch reported.