Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Wednesday that a 16-year-old girl from Syracuse was arraigned Tuesday night in Queens Criminal Court hours after she was arrested along with a 15-year-old girl by the NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force for allegedly assaulting a 57-year-old grandmother in Woodhaven just over three weeks ago.
The 16-year-old from Murray Avenue in Syracuse was arraigned before Queens Criminal Court Judge Joseph Casper on a seven-count criminal court complaint charging her with assault as a hate crime, menacing as a hate crime and aggravated harassment as a hate crime.
Katz said that according to video surveillance footage and information provided by the complainant, at approximately 6:30 p.m. on July 9, the victim indicated she was sitting near the rear of a Q53 bus and was approached by three unknown women, the defendant, and the apprehended juvenile and another, who remains at large, who was holding a shopping bag.
The unapprehended girl looked directly at the victim and said, “I hate white people” and that she “hates white people’s skin.” As they continued riding, the bus passed a cemetery and the unapprehended girl stated to the victim, “I am going to kill you, this is where I’m going to bury you.”
As the bus came to a stop near the intersection of Jamaica Avenue and Woodhaven Boulevard, the unapprehended juvenile along with the unapprehended girl who was carrying the shopping bag both spat on the victim. The unapprehended girl then allegedly hit the victim repeatedly in the head with the shopping bag. The defendant from Syracuse, along with the apprehended juvenile allegedly punched the victim several times and the three assailants fled the bus together.
The victim was taken to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center for treatment of her injuries which included a deep laceration on the right side of her head which required three staples.
“As alleged, this defendant, as well as two other individuals, carried out a vicious assault on a public transit rider simply because of the victim’s race,” Katz said. “Hate crimes in the most diverse county in the world undermine the very fabric of this great borough and will never be tolerated. The defendant is now charged with assault as a hate crime and will be held to account for her alleged actions.”
Judge Casper ordered the defendant to return to court on July 29. If convicted, the defendant faces 3 ½ to 15 years in prison.
