Gothamist

A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.

Gothamist

WNYC Listen Live

Donate

 

 

News

Queens Man Arrested For Violent Anti-Gay Attack In Williamsburg


By

Jen Chung

Published Sep 26, 2018

Modified Sep 26, 2018


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 .

A picture of the suspect released by the NYPD

 

DCPI


By

Jen Chung

Published Sep 26, 2018

Modified Sep 26, 2018


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 accused of attacking two gay men in Brooklyn over the weekend has been arrested. Police say that Brandon McNamara, 25, turned himself in and was charged with assault, aggravated harassment, and harassment—all as hate crimes.

McNamara, a resident of Middle Village, has not been arraigned yet.

According to police, the two men had just left the Metropolitan Bar in Williamsburg at around 12:55 a.m. on Sunday morning, and were in front of 540 Metropolitan Avenue when a man approached them and "made anti-sexual orientation statements and assaulted them."

Then the man punched one man in the face, knocking him unconscious, and then, police say, "grabbed [another] and threw him against a tree, also rendering him unconscious."

The two were hospitalized for their injuries—one with fractured shoulder while the man who was thrown into the tree was treated for a broken finger.

The NYPD released a photograph of the suspect, who fled the scene. The victim who suffered the fractured shoulder told the Post that the attacker called them "f----t," adding, "He just sucker-punched me and was a drunk a—hole. We’re looking into [the attack] with detectives. I’m sure we’ll find [the suspect] sooner or later."

Tagged

assault

brooklyn

hate crime

williamsburg


Jen Chung

Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.

Read more

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


MORE news

Conductor on NYC subway that dragged man to death may have skipped safety check, source says

The MTA and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating how Yaw Boahene was fatally dragged by a subway train in Brooklyn on Monday.

By

Stephen Nessen

Published Oct 2, 2026 at 2:06 p.m. ET


NYPD still searching for man who threw burning substance on victim in East Harlem

The victim suffered severe burns on his face and neck.

By

Ryan Kost

News

NYPD still searching for man who threw burning substance on victim in East Harlem

The victim suffered severe burns on his face and neck.

By

Ryan Kost


Intoxication not a 'license' to rape: Hochul pushes to tighten law amid Cornell scandal

By

Walter Wuthmann

NYC Parks police told a yoga teacher to leash her dog. It got ugly.

By

Samantha Max

Early Addition: There's finally stuff inside the Times Square tower where the ball drops

By

James Ramsay


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 .