A suspect was arrested Sunday on hate crime charges for yelling slurs at a 12-year-old boy in a Manhattan playground as he whipped the pre-teen victim with a belt, police said Sunday.
Kevin Maxwell, 37, of Canarsie, Brooklyn, was charged with assault and menacing, both as hate crimes, and acting in a manner injurious to a child.
Police say Maxwell confronted the victim outside the public bathroom at the Baruch Playground near Baruch Drive and E. Houston St. on the Lower East Side about 12:45 a.m. April 29.
“Are you stupid or something? You gay f—-t,” Maxwell allegedly yelled at the boy, then struck him with a belt, cops said. He and the youngster are strangers, police said.
The victim suffered minor injuries.
Cops put out a sketch of the suspect last month and asked the public’s help identifying him.
Maxwell awaits arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court.