A man accused of
Steven Zajonc, 28, made national headlines over a series of unprovoked attacks on Feb. 27, which left all seven victims injured. He struck his first victim at around 6:30 p.m. near Madison Avenue and East 30th Street in Midtown, and his final attack occurred near Broadway and East 8th Street between 8:30 p.m. and 9 p.m, according to reports.
Zajonc was accused of either punching, elbowing or shoving his victims. Speaking to local news program “8 On Your Side,” his mother claimed that he has struggled with mental health issues for years and was committed under Florida’s Mental Health Act of 1971 while he lived in the state. She also claimed “he appreciated [Asian] culture” and even planned to learn Japanese.
Subscribe to
NextShark's Newsletter
A daily dose of Asian America's essential stories, in under 5 minutes.
Get our collection of Asian America's most essential stories to your inbox daily for free.
Unsure? Check out our Newsletter Archive.
Zajonc is now facing a total of 13 charges, including six felony counts of third-degree assault and seven misdemeanor counts of second-degree aggravated harassment. All charges were classified as hate crimes.
“These attacks on seven New York women, each fueled by anti-Asian hate, are yet another sobering reminder of the demonstrable fears AAPI communities, particularly AAPI women, in our City continue to face,” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a press release. “As alleged, within just three hours, Steven Zajonc selectively ambushed seven Asian women in separate assaults, some of which he struck from behind – for no other reason than their perceived race.”
The District Attorney’s Office is currently investigating 27 anti-Asian hate crime cases. Victims and witnesses are encouraged to speak up.
“My Office is a safe place to report crimes regardless of your immigration status,” Bragg said. “If you have been a victim or witness to a hate crime or bias incident, please call our Hate Crimes Hotline at 212-335-3100.”
Zajonc, who was arrested on March 2, is being held on Rikers Island on a $50,000 bond. He will return to court on July 18.
