Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
East Village Gay-Bashing Suspect Allegedly Beat Acquaintance After Learning He Was Gay
By
John Del Signore
Published May 22, 2013
Modified May 22, 2013
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
John Del Signore
Published May 22, 2013
Modified May 22, 2013
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
The man sought by police for brutally assaulting a gay man in the East Village Monday night turned himself in late yesterday. Roman Gronell, 39, is accused of assaulting victim Dan Contarino while shouting anti-gay slurs as the two men walked on East 4th Street by Avenue D. "Are you a f------ f-----? Why are you a f-----?" Roman screamed as he repeatedly pummeled Contarino in the face and head, police sources tell the Daily News.
Luckily for Contarino, a security guard who works nearby intervened, and Gronell ran off. Contarino was hospitalized with minor injuries and released yesterday. The two men had known each other for about a month, according to NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly, who told reporters yesterday:
They shared a pitcher of sangria at Yuca Bar near Tompkins Square Park, and later went to the gay bar Boiler Room for "shots and beers." According to police, they then walked for pizza near 2nd Avenue and Avenue A—during this walk, around 10:45 p.m., Contarino told the suspect he was gay.
Contarino told police that the suspect, 39-year-old Roman Gornell, at first seemed to take the news in stride, saying that he had family and friends that were gay. But according to Kelly, Contarino says the suspect later "snapped and became enraged," shouting anti-gay slurs and striking him in the face.
Gronell, who has been staying at the Bowery Mission, turned himself in last night in The Bronx. The alleged beating took place hours after a large protest against a spate of anti-gay hate crimes in Manhattan, including the fatal shooting of Mark Carson in Greenwich Village.
In an interview with PIX 11, Contarino said, "Even though there have been incidents, there’s just so many hundreds of people on the street. You don’t expect this to happen. Sometimes certain people just snap, maybe its marriage equality, something on people’s minds, the anger that comes out when they drink."
And hours after Roman allegedly beat Carson, two men allegedly attacked a gay couple in SoHo after shouting homophobic slurs at them. The victim was left with a bruised eye after the altercation, which occurred on Broadway near Houston Street shortly before 5:30 a.m. Fabian Ortiz and Pedro Jiminez were subsequently arrested and charged with third degree assault as a hate crime.
Tagged
bias assault
gay bashing
hate crime
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Man shot by ICE in NYC's Marble Hill said federal officers never identified themselves
The wounded man said he didn't learn ICE agents were involved until he woke up in the hospital.
By
Arya Sundaram
and
Samantha Max
Published Oct 14, 2026 at 5:26 p.m. ET
Brooklyn school dean says MTA officers assaulted him over a $3 bus fare he says he paid
Kyle Taylor, a dean at Mott Bridges Academy, says he made a legal bus transfer.
By
Carol Chen
News
Brooklyn school dean says MTA officers assaulted him over a $3 bus fare he says he paid
Kyle Taylor, a dean at Mott Bridges Academy, says he made a legal bus transfer.
By
Carol Chen
National Grid customers in NYC will see higher gas bills this winter
By
Rosemary Misdary
Bruce Blakeman joins Gov. Hochul in support for expanding NY rape law
By
Jon Campbell
2 men accused of stabbing off-duty NYPD detective in the Bronx plead not guilty
By
Charles Lane
and
Brittany Kriegstein
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .