Alec Baldwin Under Hate Crime Investigation For Alleged Racial Slur

Alec Baldwin is being investigated by the New York Police Department’s Hate Crimes Task Force, which is trying to determine whether the 30 Rock actor committed a hate crime against a photographer he allegedly called a racial slur.

New York Post photographer G.N. Miller accused Baldwin of calling him a number of racist and stereotypical epithets this past weekend. He said Baldwin accused him of being a crackhead and told people on the street that he was a drug dealer. Miller also said that Baldwin bumped him in the chest during their confrontation, and that the newly married actor threatened to choke a female reporter to death.

Baldwin quickly denied the accusations and called Miller’s account of what happened “one of the most outrageous things I’ve heard in my life.” Baldwin also tweeted, “I find it ironic that my foundation’s last grant was $50,000 to the Arthur Ashe Learning Center.” Arthur Ashe was the first black player ever selected to the United States Davis Cup team and the only black man to ever win the singles title at the US and Australian Open and Wimbledon.

According to TMZ, a recording of the confrontation clears Baldwin of calling Miller a racial slur. The audio also clarifies that Baldwin said “I want you to choke to death” and not “I want to choke you to death.”

While the tape may prove that Baldwin did not call Miller a racial slur, the soon-to-be father isn’t completely out of the woods. State Sen. Malcolm Smith has suggested that Baldwin be blacklisted in the industry until he completes anger management. However, a source told TMZ that Smith has undergone regular investigation and “should be much more careful about jumping to conclusions.”

I find it ironic that my foundation’s last grant was $50,000 to the Arthur Ashe Learning Center.

— ABFoundation (@ABFalecbaldwin) February 18, 2013