Police are looking for a man they say sneaked up behind a 23-year-old woman in midtown Manhattan and kicked her in the back, then made anti-Asian statements before menacing her -- and a bystander who came to help -- with a knife.
The woman was walking along West 26th Street just before noon Monday when the stranger attacked, police said. A bystander came to help after he saw the man kick the woman. That's when the stranger whipped out the knife. Then he ran off.
The woman refused medical attention at the scene. No one else was hurt.
The NYPD's Hate Crime Task Force is investigating.
Police released surveillance images of the suspect (above). Anyone with information about him is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.
Get Tri-state area news delivered to your inbox. Sign up for NBC New York's News Headlines newsletter.