M E D I A   R E L E A S E For Immediate Release June 16, 2005 Arrest Made in Brutal Brooklyn Bias Assault After Three Days of AVP's Distribution of Suspect Info, Pomie Taken Into Custody in New Jersey New York – Today the first named suspect in a violent anti-gay attack on a Brooklyn man was arrested. Steven Pomie (pictured) was taken into custody by New York police authorities in Seaside, New Jersey. Since this Monday, the Anti-Violence Project had been engaged in a massive effort to encourage people in the community to step forward with any information they might have on the brutal assault of Dwan Prince. "We absolutely have to congratulate the NYPD's work on this case," said Clarence Patton, the Anti-Violence Project's Acting Executive Director. "We have no doubt that the high visibility of the case and the willingness of the community to engage and work to help on this case was a factor in Pomie's arrest, and as we said immediately after the attack was made public, this was a case the community could indeed help solve," Patton continued. "Now we can only hope that Pomie will finally do the right thing by Mr. Prince and name his accomplices in this heinous and hateful attack," said Patton. Last Wednesday, Dwan Prince was savagely beaten by three men who screamed anti-gay slurs during the assault. Police identified Pomie as allegedly being part of that group earlier this week. 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 night of the attack, but doctors say Prince is improving. "Though what happened to Prince was more vicious than most anti-gay attacks in New York, it is not uncommon enough," said Patton. "Every twelve hours we get a report of some anti-lesbian, gay, transgender or bisexual (LGTB) incident in the City, and every 36 hours, we receive a report of an anti-LGTB assault; as the weather warms and more people are on the streets in general, reports of anti-LGTB activity almost always rise," added Patton. "Given the fact that reports to AVP of anti-LGTB incidents have risen 25% in the last two years, we are especially concerned about the safety of the community this summer and will as always, do everything in our power to make people aware of these issues and help them stay as safe as possible; however, we also hope that the Police will continue this level of response to anti-LGTB incidents, and that the community will remain vigilant, and report such incidents," concluded Patton. 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).