In New York, a man has been detained in the previous month in a series of attacks on seven Asian women and has been charged with felony and minor hate crimes charges. The prosecutors revealed the information on Monday, March 4.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement that Steven Zajonc, 28, is charged with six felony charges of third-degree assault as a hate crime and seven counts of second-degree aggravated harassment, a misdemeanour hate crime.
On Monday, Zajonc’s lawyer did not reply to a request for comment.
Moreover, Zajonc, who was apprehended by police on March 2, is suspected of a three-hour spree of attacks on Asian women on February 27.
Zajonc allegedly struck or otherwise harmed his victims, who ranged in age from 19 to 57, without provocation, according to police.
Along with this, “As reported, Steven Zajonc ambushed seven Asian women in different attacks within three hours, some of which he attacked from behind – for no other reason than their perceived race,” says Bragg.
The first incident occurred just after 6 p.m. in the Midtown neighbourhood when the suspect approached a 57-year-old lady and hit her in the face before fleeing.
Bragg said most of the victims had bruising and lacerations and one was knocked unconscious and sent to the hospital.
According to police and a library representative, Zajonc was detained when security staff at the New York Public Library raised concerns about a visitor who resembled a suspect in the attacks.
Security footage photos of a suspect wanted in connection with the attacks have been disseminated by police.
Officers were eventually able to apprehend the guy, who had barricaded himself inside the library, as per the sources.
According to a statement released Monday, the district attorney’s office has 27 active investigations involving anti-Asian hate crimes.
