WASHINGTON ( CNN ) -- Using a Facebook profile , police arrested a suspect in an attack on the Georgetown University campus . The victim searched through Facebook profiles to identify his attacker . The university sophomore appeared in court Friday , charged in connection to what police called a hate-crime attack near campus nearly two weeks ago . Phillip Anderton Cooney of Southlake , Texas , is charged with simple assault with a bias/hate crime specification , according to police officials and an official in the U.S. attorney 's office . Prosecutors added the `` bias/hate crime specification '' to the case because the victim , a 19-year-old who is also a Georgetown student , said the attacker was yelling homophobic epithets during the attack . The victim was attacked on September 9 just off campus near the intersection of 36th and O streets in the Georgetown neighborhood . Police said he suffered cuts and bruises to the face and a broken thumb in the attack . After the attack , the victim started looking on Facebook to see if he could find the person who attacked him , according to Lt. Alberto Jova of the Metropolitan Police Department 's Gay and Lesbian Liaison Unit . When he found a profile of someone who looked like his attacker , police investigated , then created a photo spread of possible suspects . The victim picked Cooney 's photo from the photo spread and Washington police worked with Georgetown University Public Safety officers to arrest him . Cooney was taken into custody by a University Public Safety officer during an exam . Jova said he 'd never heard of a crime victim using Facebook to help police catch a suspect before . The `` hate/bias specification '' means if convicted , he could face a stiffer maximum sentence . A misdemeanor simple assault conviction is punishable by up 180 days in jail and a $ 1,000 fine . With the specification for a hate/bias crime , the maximum would be 270 days in jail and $ 1,500 , according to Channing Phillips , Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia . Georgetown University is investigating the incident and will consider whether Cooney has violated the University 's Student Code of Conduct . Spokeswoman Julie Green Bataille said that could lead to any number of sanctions against Cooney , including expulsion from Georgetown . But until that investigation is over , Cooney will be allowed to return to class . Neither Georgetown University nor the Metropolitan Police Department 's Gay and Lesbian Liaison Unit has released the victim 's name . E-mail to a friend .
Police use Facebook to investigate , charge suspect in hate crimes . He is a Georgetown University student . The victim was killed on September 9 near Georgetown 's campus . Facebook Police is now investigating the incident .