Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that a 16-year-old girl has been charged with assault as a hate crime and other charges for allegedly assaulting a 57-year-old-woman on a public bus near the intersection of Jamaica Avenue and Woodhaven Boulevard on July 9, 2022. An apprehended juvenile female has also been charged and a third female remains unapprehended.

District Attorney Katz said, “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. 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.”

The defendant, of Murray Avenue, in Syracuse, New York, was arraigned last night before Queens Criminal Court Judge Joseph Casper on a seven-count criminal court complaint charging her with assault in the second and third degree as a hate crime, assault in the second and third degree, menacing in the third degree as a hate crime, aggravated harassment in the second degree and menacing. The defendant today was ordered to return to court on July 29, 2022. If convicted, the defendant faces 3 1/2 to 15 years in prison.

District Attorney Katz said that, according to video surveillance footage and information provided by the complainant, at approximately 6:30 p.m. on July 9, 2022, the victim indicated that she was sitting near the rear of the Q53 bus and was approached by three unknown females, the defendant, the apprehended juvenile and an unapprehended other who was holding a shopping bag. The unapprehended other looked directly at her and stated, “I hate white people” and “hates white people’s skin.” As they continued riding, the bus passed a cemetery and the unapprehended other stated to the victim, “I am going to kill you, this is where I’m going to bury you.”

Continuing, as the bus came to a stop near the intersection of Jamaica Avenue and Woodhaven Boulevard, the apprehended juvenile along with the unapprehended other who was carrying a shopping bag both spat on the victim. The unapprehended other then allegedly hit the victim repeatedly in the head with the shopping bag. The defendant, along with the apprehended other allegedly punched the victim several times in her head and fled the bus together.

The victim was taken to a local Queens hospital for her injuries which included a deep laceration on the right side of her head which required three staples.

The investigation was conducted by Detective Redmond Halpern of the New York City Police Department’s Hate Crimes Task Force.

Assistant District Attorneys Gabriel Mendoza, Assistant Deputy Bureau Chief and Michael Brovner, Bureau Chief of the District Attorney’s Hate Crimes Bureau is prosecuting the case under the supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney of Supreme Court Trials Pishoy Yacoub.