A man had his hair pulled out during a violent attack on a New York City subway and police are appealing to the public for help identifying the attacker.

The attack happened back in March, but the New York City Police Department released an updated image of the attacker Thursday in the hopes of finding him.  

NYC subway

A photo of the suspect in the subway attack  (NYPD)

On the afternoon of March 19, a 22-year-old was on a northbound "A" train approaching the 190th St. subway station in the Inwood section of Manhattan when another subway passenger approached him.

The other man reportedly told the victim he wished he was carrying pepper spray and spat on him. The victim tried to walk away, but the attacker charged him, grabbed him by the hair, and punched him repeatedly in the face and the head.

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Police said the attacker ripped the man’s hair out and hurled an anti-gay slur at him. The victim lost hair and sustained lacerations to his head. He was treated at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in stable condition.

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The incident is being investigated by the Hate Crimes Task Force. Anyone with information should call 1-800-577-TIPS.