Leighton Jennings, 24, of St. Albans, Queens, was arrested for second-degree assault Jan. 28. Gener, a respected theatre journalist, was found beaten with severe head trauma just steps from his apartment in the early hours of Jan. 17. He has since undergone brain surgery, and is scheduled for further operations, due to the severity of his injuries.

Members of the theatre community held candlelight vigils for the 46-year-old journalist earlier this week.

A source told the Daily News that the NYPD has no current evidence to suggest that the assult on Gener, an openly gay Filipino-American, was a bias attack. The source stated that the attack was the result of an argument on the street. Jennings is being arraigned Jan. 29.

Gener had attended the theatre earlier in the evening and was coming home from a party when he was attacked in the vicinity of 7th Avenue near 54th/55th Street in the early hours of Jan. 17.

The award-winning journalist has written for such publications as The New York Times, National Public Radio, The Village Voice, New York Magazine, New York Daily News and Time Out New York, among others. 

An online campaign was launched to help cover Gener's extensive medical expenses. Click here to donate.