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Elected officials, members of the New York Police Department's Hate Crime Task Force, and volunteers gathered at the Myrtle avenue and Broadway subway station this morning to distribute flyers with a picture of the victim and information about the 12-thousand dollar reward being offered in the case.

Police say Mario Vera, 37, was attacked last month on his way home to Bushwick after leaving a food pantry at a Lower Manhattan church.

Vera told his wife a group of men beat him while yelling anti-Mexican slurs. He suffered a brain injury and remembers little else about the attack.

"More important than anything is the message to those who are willing to commit this type of crime to know that the community is running together, because we will not allow for this type of crime to be committed," said Brooklyn Representative Nydia Velazquez.

"I think people are responding to any effort that they can contribute," said Brooklyn Councilwoman Diana Reyna. "People are posting flyers on their buildings, their stores, anyone they're affiliated too, they passing info on."

The investigation is being complicated by the fact that Vera's wife waited more than two weeks to report the attack to police because of concerns about his immigration status.

Velazquez is urging anyone who is the victim of a crime to contact the police immediately.

Anyone with information on the case should contact the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS, or text CRIMES and then enter TIP577, or visit www.nypdcrimestoppers.com.