A Brooklyn man who allegedly tased another man in the chest in Ridgewood last month has been charged with a hate crime.
Joseph Desmond, 23, allegedly approached the victim and shocked him in the chest while spewing anti-gay slurs on September 25 at the intersection of Gates and Fairview avenues, according to the district attorney’s office.
Desmond was charged with second-degree assault as a hate crime, second-degree assault, second-degree aggravated harassment and second-degree harassment.
“Crimes of hate — such as this random and senseless attack — will never be tolerated here in Queens County. When they do, regrettably, occur, they will be condemned in the strongest possible terms. Every person has the right to feel safe to walk the streets without being harassed or assaulted based on race, religion, gender or sexual orientation,” said District Attorney Richard Brown.
