A military veteran who attacked seven Asian women in Manhattan, New York, last year has been sentenced to 1 ⅓ to 4 years in state prison.
What he did: Steven Zajonc, 30, either shoved, punched or elbowed his victims in the unprovoked attacks on Feb. 27, 2022, leaving all seven with various injuries. Their ages ranged from 19 to 57.
Background: Zajonc reportedly made racist insults during his rampage, which started at around 6:30 p.m. and ended between 8:30 p.m. and 9 p.m.
In the aftermath, his mother told 8 On Your Side that he struggles with mental health issues and actually appreciates Asian culture, even having plans to learn Japanese. Originally from Florida, Zajonc was homeless when he carried out the attacks. Two security guards from the New York Public Library helped with his arrest.
Sentence: Zajonc pleaded guilty in June to six felony counts of third-degree assault as a hate crime and one misdemeanor count of second-degree aggravated harassment. On Monday, he was sentenced to 1 ⅓ to 4 years in state prison for all his crimes.
What’s next: Prosecutors considered his mental health issues in developing a treatment plan for his release. However, he still faces a separate case in the Bronx for allegedly attacking a corrections officer in April.
