News (USA)

Suspect arrested in brutal beating of NYC gay journalist

Suspect arrested in brutal beating of NYC gay journalist

NEW YORK — Police have arrested a suspect in connection with the attack and brutal beating of a gay journalist on a New York City street.

Randy Gener
Randy Gener
They say Leighton Jennings was arrested without incident at a residence in Queens shortly before midnight Tuesday. The 24-year-old faces felony assault charges.

Police say that Randy Gener, 45, was on his way home from a party in midtown Manhattan in the early hours of Jan. 17 when he was attacked, brutally beaten and left for dead in a pool of his own blood.

The attack occurred just one block away from his apartment.

Police did not include additional hate crimes charges against Jennings, but police said the possibility of anti-gay bias in the attack is still under investigation by the NYPD hate crimes unit. His wallet, phone and gold necklace were not taken.

Gener underwent brain surgery as a result of injuries sustained in the attack. Relatives say he remembers little about the attack and faces additional surgery.

Gener is an award-winning arts journalist who has worked for several national media outlets including the New York Times, the New York Daily News and other major publications.

Associated Press contributed to this report.
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