A Manhattan man who stomped on a 61-year-old Asian American man’s head last week was arrested on Tuesday morning.
The details: Jarrod Powell, 49, was charged with two felony assault counts when police apprehended him at around 2:45 a.m. following the Friday attack on Yao Pan Ma near Third Avenue and East 125th Street, NBC New York reported.
- Police found Powell after being told that he was spotted at a shelter near the scene of the incident.
- The New York Police Department Hate Crimes Task Force is currently investigating the attack.
- Charges against Powell will be upgraded to “attempted murder and felony assault as a hate crime,” according to ABC7.
The incident: Ma was collecting cans in the area when the suspect suddenly allegedly struck Ma from behind and knocked him to the ground before kicking him repeatedly in the head.
- The 61-year-old immigrant was left unconscious and currently remains in a medically induced coma.
- A GoFundMe campaign was created for his family and has so far raised over $400,000, surpassing its $50,000 goal.
- Anyone with information about the incident is urged to call the New York Police Department’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). Tips may also be submitted on Twitter via @NYPDTips.
Rise of anti-Asian attacks: The incident is one of many recent anti-Asian attacks that have surged throughout the U.S. since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Powell’s arrest comes after an NYPD announcement of a new civilian panel that will assist the NYPD with determining hate crime cases.
- As of April 20, almost half of the 135 attacks that were considered hate crimes in New York City this year have targeted Asians, according to ABC7.
Featured Image via New York Police Department (left), CBS2 (right)
