what to know
- A second man was arrested on hate crime charges after assaulting and harassing a same-sex couple, a confrontation that took place in May that nearly led to one of the women being thrown overboard from a pier, it announced. Suffolk County Police on Wednesday.
- According to police, the charges stem from an incident that took place on the night of May 14. That evening, two women were watching the sunset at the Mascot Dock on South Ocean Avenue when, shortly before 8 pm, two men in a vehicle made anti-lesbian comments. One of these men allegedly punched one of the women and the other tried to push the other into the water, but was only able to throw one of her cell phones.
- Thomas Gair Jr., 66, of Patchogue, was charged with third-degree assault as a hate crime and two counts of second-degree aggravated stalking. While Joseph Kess, 40, of Patchogue, was arrested and charged in connection with the incident in June.
NEW YORK — A second man was arrested on hate crime charges after assaulting and harassing a same-sex couple, a confrontation in May that nearly led to one of the women being thrown into the water from a pier, Suffolk County Police announced Wednesday.
Thomas Gair Jr., 66, of Patchogue, was charged with third-degree assault as a hate crime and two counts of second-degree aggravated stalking.
Information for Gair’s attorney was not immediately available.
According to police, the charges stem from an incident that took place on the night of May 14. That evening, two women were watching the sunset at the Mascot Dock on South Ocean Avenue when, shortly before 8 pm, two men in a vehicle made anti-lesbian comments. One of these men allegedly punched one of the women and the other tried to push the other into the water, but was only able to throw one of her cell phones.
After the confrontation, both women, 29, were treated for non-life-threatening injuries at a local hospital.
A subsequent investigation by detectives with the Suffolk County Police Department’s Hate Crimes Unit initially ended with Joseph Kess, 40, of Patchogue, charged with hate crime third-degree assault, criminal mischief in third-degree hate crime and second-degree aggravated harassment in June.
Information for Kess’s attorney was not immediately available.
“It is unacceptable that two people cannot enjoy a night without being intimidated, ridiculed and physically assaulted because of the sexual orientation of the victims,” said Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison. “Hate has no place in this county and we will continue to arrest those who attack people based on their personal biases.”
“It is despicable that two young women cannot peacefully enjoy a beautiful spring sunset by the bay without allegedly being verbally and physically attacked simply because of their sexual orientation,” Suffolk District Attorney Raymond Tierney said. “There is no place for bigotry in Suffolk County and my office will do everything in its power to ensure that perpetrators of hate crimes like the one alleged here are held to account.”
The investigation is ongoing.
