Suspect (NYPD)
June 24, 2021 Ryan Songalia
Police are looking for a man in connection with a series of anti-Muslim assaults that took place in South Richmond Hill on Tuesday night.
The first incident took place shortly after 9 p.m. near Liberty Avenue and Lefferts Boulevard.
The suspect allegedly approached a Muslim couple and punched a 31-year-old man in the back, and then proceeded to pull a hijab off the woman who was with him. The suspect then punched the woman in the arm while hurling a number of anti-Muslim statements at her.
Both victims were in pain but refused medical attention, according to police.
The suspect struck again an hour later by Inwood Street and Liberty Avenue, about a mile away from the previous incident. This time he approached an older couple, while making a number of anti-Muslim statements.
The suspect punched a 56-year-old woman—who was with a 64-year-old man—multiple times in the face after taunting her with racist statements, according to police.
She sustained a fractured nose and lacerations to the head and face, and was transported to Jamaica Hospital in stable condition.
Police released surveillance footage of the suspect.
Anyone with information in regard to these attacks is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).
