Sketch of Theater Journalist Randy Gener's Alleged Attacker Released

By Sharon Adarlo

The Fil-Am Press Club of New York is urging anyone with information about the brutal attack of Randy Gener, Press Club member, to contact the New York Police Department. A sketch and description of the alleged suspect who attacked Gener in Midtown Manhattan on January 18 have been released.

The suspected attacker is described as a 20-something Hispanic man, around 160 pounds and 6-feet-tall, police said in media news reports. He has short, cropped black hair and was clothed in black jeans and a black jacket at the time of the attack. He fled the scene in a gray, four door Nissan with Mississippi license plate, KAT-397.

Gener was leaving a party on January 17 when the suspect allegedly attacked Gener across the street from his apartment, according to news reports. Left with severe head trauma, he was found shortly before 4 a.m. around 7th Avenue near 54th and 55th streets. After brain surgery, he is listed in stable condition at St. Luke's Hospital, according to family and friends.

There has been speculation that Gener, an active member of the New York gay community, was a victim of a hate crime. This has not been confirmed. People with information should contact the police at 800-577-TIPS.

The Press Club, fellow journalists, family, and friends are mobilizing across the tri-state area and via social media to provide emotional and financial support for Gener's recovery.

"This is too close to home. Too close. It's family. Randy is an extraordinary man. His selflessness and genuine love are always evident in his ways," said Monette Rivera, president of the Press Club. "The overwhelming support and messages online from across the globe just prove the impact he has in people's lives."

For donations for his medical expenses, people are advised to give money at the following link: http://www.youcaring.com/medical-fundraiser/for-randy-gener/130589

Straddling the worlds of theater, art, media, the LGBT and the Filipino American community, Gener is also an integral member of the Press Club's special projects group. He is an awarding winning writer, editor, artist, and critic. He has written for various news outlets, including the New York Times, the Star-Ledger, and the Village Voice. He has penned plays such as "Love Seats for Virginia Woolf" and other works. Gener is also well known for his conceptual art and his exhibits on Filipino American history. He has lectured on various subjects across the world, from Kansas to India.

"I do my best to support, in whichever way possible, cultural events that promote openness and community because I come from that place, too," Gener once said during an interview with the New York Daily News in 2008.

For more information, contact Momar G. Visaya, Vice President of the Fil-Am Press Club of New York, at 212.655.5426 or 646.645.7400. Email at editor@asianjournalinc.com