July 27, 2021 By Allie Griffin
A man wanted for two anti-Muslim attacks last month in South Richmond Hill struck again over the weekend — this time targeting a Muslim woman in Jamaica.
The alleged bigot followed a 38-year-old woman near Sutphin Boulevard and 94th Avenue and threatened her with a knife while making anti-Muslim statements at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, police said. He fled southbound on Sutphin Boulevard.
The same man is believed to be responsible for two anti-Muslim assaults in South Richmond Hill on June 20.
The first incident took place shortly after 9 p.m. near Liberty Avenue and Lefferts Boulevard. The suspect followed a 31-year-old man and 24-year-old woman while taunting them with anti-Muslim remarks. He then punched the man in the back and tugged at the woman’s hijab while punching her in the arm, police said.
Both victims refused medical attention.
The man 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 pair, a 64-year-old man and a 56-year-old woman, while making a number of anti-Muslim statements once again.
He followed the pair and then punched the woman multiple times in the face and head before fleeing, police said. The woman suffered a fractured nose and was taken to Jamaica Hospital in stable condition.
Police released additional surveillance images of the suspect late last month in hopes of someone identifying the man wanted for the hate crimes.
Anyone with information in regard to these incidents is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the CrimeStoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM, on Twitter @NYPDTips.
