In New York City, police are investigating an attack on an openly gay journalist as a possible hate crime. Randy Gener has reported and written for National Public Radio, The New York Times, the New York Daily News and other outlets. Earlier this month, he was found lying on the ground unconscious with a massive head injury that required him to undergo brain surgery. His sister told New York’s WABC her brother could not remember the assault.

Jessica Blair Driessler: “He can’t answer the questions of what happened that night. He doesn’t really exactly know who we are. And it’s really very painful to see him, hear the way that he is, because he’s the most articulate person.”

The attack on Randy Gener comes amid a spike in apparent hate crimes against LGBT people in New York City, including the murder of Mark Carson last May and the killing of Islan Nettles, a transgender woman, last August.