Cops: Patchogue assault being investigated as a hate crime

A Long Island woman and her girlfriend were assaulted in Patchogue earlier this month in an attack that Suffolk police said Wednesday they are investigating as a hate crime.

Kimberly Page, 30, of Patchogue, said she suffered injuries to her head, face and knee during the assault, which she said took place in the early morning hours of July 7. The assailant bashed her head on a concrete walkway and spewed lewd and anti-gay slurs, Page said during a news conference at the Hauppauge offices of the New York LGBT Network on Wednesday. 

Suffolk police are offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to an arrest. 

David Kilmnick, president and CEO of the New York LGBT Network, said the assault was clearly a hate crime and called on anyone with information about the attackers to speak to police. 

“We are hoping people … will report them, step up and say something so these folks can be brought to justice, so nobody has to go through what Kimberly went through,” Kilmnick said. 

Page said she had been socializing with friends and co-workers in a Patchogue bar before the assault. The two women left the bar and were on a walkway near the Patchogue-Medford Library when they were confronted by four men. One of the men made lewd comments to her girlfriend, Page said, and questioned why a woman would want to be with another female. She and her partner tried to ignore the men, Page said.

“I’m trying to make it known I‘m not trying to fight or have an altercation,” she said. 

The man slapped Page's girlfriend, knocking her to the ground, before punching Page, who briefly lost consciousness. 

“I know now that he was bashing my head on the concrete ground multiple times,” Page said. “While that is going on, another one of the men was holding and pushing my girlfriend to the ground, in order for her not to help me.” 

Page was taken to Long Island Community Hospital, where whe was held overnight and treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Her girlfriend was also taken to the hospital and treated for injuries. 

Page’s father, Timothy Page, said he and his wife, Marie, are disturbed by the assault — and by anti-gay hate. 

“Seeing her and what was done to her tore my wife and I up,” he said. 

Marie Page said she does not understand what would motivate somebody to attack her daughter because of her sexual orientation.

“We love Kimberly, we love everything about Kimberly. We would not change anything about her,” she said. “But every time she leaves the house, I am afraid.”

Anyone with information about the assailants is asked to call 800-220-TIPS, text “SCPD” and your message to “CRIMES” (274637) or email tipsubmit.com.