The Bethlehem Police Department is investigating an assault and ethnic intimidation offense that occurred the morning of Nov. 19. The 22-year-old victim reported he was walking in the area of South New and Morton streets around 3 a.m., when an unidentified adult male called out using an offensive and malicious statement concerning the victim’s race. The victim was confronted by this subject, as well as a second adult male.

The victim was then struck in the face by one of the subjects, causing a laceration and swelling to his lip. Following the assault, the victim went to a friend’s home nearby and called police. The subjects left the area prior to police arrival.

The victim described his attacker as a white male, approximately 20-25 years of age, 5-foot-8 inches to 5-foot-10 inches in height, with dark colored hair.