NYPD: Asian man critically injured in unprovoked Manhattan assault

NEW YORK - The NYPD's Hate Crimes Unit is searching for the attacker in an unprovoked assault against a 61-year-old Asian-American man in Manhattan.

According to authorities, on Friday night just before 8:30 p.m., the victim was collecting cans at the northeast corner of 3rd Avenue and East 125th Street in East Harlem when the suspect attacked the victim from behind without warning.

The suspect then kicked the victim in the head multiple times in the head before running away.

The victim sustained significant injuries due to the attack and was taken to a nearby hospital where he is listed in critical but stable condition.

Surveillance video released by the police appears to show the attacker stomping on the victim's head. The attack is the latest in a troubling rise in anti-Asian hate crimes in New York and around the country.

Mayor Bill de Blasio called the assault "outrageous" on Twitter. "Make no mistake, we will find the perpetrator and they will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," de Blasio said Saturday.

Police describe the suspect as an adult male with a dark complexion; he was last seen wearing a black jacket, black pants, white sneakers, and a multi-colored baseball cap.

Authorities released surveillance video and photos showing the suspect, obtained from the vicinity of the incident location.

Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at 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 NYPD CRIME STOPPERS, or on Twitter @NYPDTips.

Police say all calls are strictly confidential.