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Man hospitalized after pepper spray attack in Woodside on Friday the 13th: NYPD

Cops are looking for this suspect who allegedly pepper-sprayed a man he was arguing with in Woodside on Friday the 13th. NYPD

Dec. 27, 2024 By Bill Parry

Police from the 114th Precinct in Astoria are looking for a heavy-set suspect who assaulted a 48-year-old man in Woodside on Friday the 13th.

The victim and his assailant began arguing just before 4:45 p.m. near the intersection of Northern Boulevard and 61st Street when the perpetrator sprayed him in the face with an unknown liquid, police said on Thursday.

The liquid was later determined to be pepper spray that caused minor irritation to his eyes, according to a law enforcement source familiar with the investigation.

EMS responded to the location and transported the victim to Elmhurst Hospital in stable condition for treatment.

The NYPD released a surveillance image of the suspect on Thursday and described him as having a dark complexion with a heavy build. He has a mangy beard and wore a black hooded sweatshirt and black sweatpants.

Anyone with information regarding this assault investigation is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org or on X (the platform formerly known as Twitter) @NYPDTips. All calls and messages are confidential.

Through Dec. 15, the 114th Precinct has reported 559 felony assaults so far in 2024, 74 more than the 485 reported at the same point last year, an increase of 15.3%, according to the most recent CompStat report.