M E D I A   R E L E A S E For Immediate Release June 13, 2005 Anti-Violence Project: "The Community Can Solve This Case" New York – After the brutal anti-gay assault on Dwan Prince in Brownsville late last Wednesday night, representatives from the New York City Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project (AVP) today remarked that from all available information, the community has the information that could lead to the arrest and convictions of Prince's attackers. "So often there are no witnesses and no information available to the community or investigators about anti-gay incidents," said Clarence Patton, AVP's Acting Executive Director. "In this case however, we know there was at least one witness, and the police have solid leads on the perpetrators," continued Patton. Today, police released a photo of an alleged suspect in the attack, Steven Pomie (see photo). According to police, Prince was savagely beaten by three men screaming anti-gay slurs, and authorities have identified Pomie as part of the group allegedly responsible for the beating. The attack took place outside Prince's Apartment building on East 94th Street in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn. He has been in intensive care at Brookdale hospital since the Wednesday night attack, but doctors say Prince is improving. "Unfortunately, though what happened to Prince was more vicious than many anti-gay attacks in New York, it is not uncommon enough," said Patton. "Every twelve hours we get a report of some anti-gay incident in the City, and every 36 hours, we receive a report of an anti-lesbian, gay, transgender or bisexual; as the weather warms and there are more people or on the streets in general - reports of anti-LGTB activity almost always rise," added Patton. LGTB incidents have risen 25% in the last two years, we are especially concerned about the safety of the community this summer and will be doing everything in our power to make people aware of these issues and keep as safe as possible," concluded Patton. Anyone with any information about the assault on Dwan Prince is encouraged to call the NYPD's Hate Crimes Task Force at 646-610-5267, Crime Stoppers 800-577-TIPS, or AVP at 212-714-1141, and ask to speak to the staff person on-call. In 2004, AVP served over 2,000 victims of violence. AVP’s annual reports on hate and domestic violence can be accessed online at www.avp.org. The New York City Gay & Lesbian Anti-Violence Project (AVP) is the nation's largest service agency for victims of bias crimes against the lesbian, gay, transgender, bisexual, and HIV-affected communities. For nearly twenty-five years, AVP has provided counseling and advocacy for thousands of victims of bias-motivated violence as well as for survivors of domestic violence, rape and sexual assault, HIV-related violence, and police misconduct. AVP documents incidents of violence against and within LGTB communities, educates the public about the effects of violence, against or within our communities, and works to reform public policies impacting all lesbian, gay, transgender, bisexual, and HIV-affected people. AVP provides free and confidential assistance to crime victims through our 24-hour bilingual hotline (212-714-1141).