It was another hate crime in New York City, and this time it was committed by a 28-year-old veteran of the U.S. Army – the victim was a 66-year-old homeless Black Man of Manhattan. The weapon used in the assault was a 26-inch sword with an 18-inch blade and, the victim died of injuries he sustained. The suspect surrendered in the police substation in Times Square and, has been charged with second-degree murder. The police are treating it as a racially motivated hate crime.
The crime in brief
New York Time reports that the suspect had a hatred of black men and, after committing the crime, walked into the police station to surrender himself.
It was the day after the victim had, somehow, reached a police station profusely bleeding from stab wounds on his body.
The suspect admitted his involvement in the dastardly act to the police and mentioned that he had chosen New York City intentionally since he wanted to make a statement by attacking black men. He did not conceal anything and, even, informed about the location where he threw the weapon away. His surrender to the police was, apparently, prompted by the fact that his image, captured by a security camera, was broadcast in the media.
Sequence of events
The victim, a black man, lived in a homeless shelter and, was engaged in segregating the trash in front of a row of restaurants when the assailant arrived at the scene.
There was an argument between them after which the stabbing took place and, the attacker discarded the sword into the garbage can. He then went to a nearby restaurant where he proceeded to wash off the blood on his body.
The victim, somehow, stumbled to the nearest police station and, officers on duty sent him to the hospital, but they could not save him.
About the suspect
The suspect harbored a hatred of black men for more than a decade and, had selected New York City to attack them. The reasons for this animosity is yet to be ascertained, and investigators are digging into his background. There are indications that he came back from a deployment to Afghanistan in 2011 and was, subsequently, stationed in Germany before being discharged.
Bill de Blasio, Mayor of New York City, has condemned the attack and has denounced the murder which, in his opinion could be attributed to his color. Hate crimes are a matter of concern for the administration because the world perceives the United States as a place where people live in peace and harmony and, hate crimes send out a discordant note.
