Police are searching for a man who allegedly attacked seven Asian women in separate incidents within a two-hour period over the weekend in Manhattan.
The suspect punched or hurt his victims, who ranged in age from from 19 to 57, without provocation in the Sunday attacks, the New York Police Department said.
The suspect is described as a man with light complexion and blonde hair, and the case is under investigation by the department’s Hate Crimes Task Force.
The first attack unfolded Sunday at 6:30 p.m. in Midtown when the suspect approached a woman, 57, and punched her in the face then ran off, according to police.
“There was no prior interaction and no statements were made,” the NYPD said.
The victim suffered swelling to the left side of her face and a cut lip and was hospitalized by private means, according to authorities.
Ten minutes later, the suspect punched a 25-year-old Asian woman in the face and the back of the arm in the vicinity of Fifth Avenue and East 30th Street, police said. She didn’t require any medical attention on scene.
He then fled on foot, punching a 21-year-old woman in the face in the area of Park Avenue South and East 23rd Street five minutes later.
At 6:50 p.m., the suspect approached a 25-year-old Asian woman and punched her in the face near Irving Place and East 17th Street. She suffered a laceration and swelling to the upper lip but didn’t require any medical attention, police said.
About 15 minutes later, he elbowed a 19-year-old girl in the face near Union Square East and East 17th Street, according to police. She also didn’t require any medical attention.
He then elbowed a 25-year-old woman in the mouth at 7:25 p.m. near East Houston and Mott streets. Emergency medical services responded to the scene and treated her for swelling and bleeding to the lower lip, the NYPD said.
The spate of attacks allegedly ended at 8:37 p.m. near Broadway and East 8th Street when the suspect allegedly shoved a 20-year-old woman to the ground. She suffered minor injuries to her hands and didn’t require any medical attention, police said.
May 6, 202101:36
Police shared video of the suspect, saying he was last seen wearing a a multicolored backpack, a light blue T-shirt and dark-colored pants and shoes.
Attacks against the Asian American community spiked during the Covid-19 pandemic. The NYPD reported in December that incidents targeting Asians rose by 361 percent in 2021 compared to the previous year.
Anyone with information on the identity of the suspect is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website or on Twitter.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
