Anthony Evans slashed a woman with a box cutter in the middle of the day in New York City without any reason. This was caught on surveillance footage. He has been arrested and charged with a hate crime, according to the authorities.
Investigators say that shocking video footage shows Anthony Evans, 30, attacking the 59-year-old seamstress as she walked on Seventh Avenue near West 42nd Street in Manhattan. Evans is said to be a career criminal.
In the video, the victim is seen pushing a shopping cart near the Crossroads of the World when a Black man wearing a black jacket and gray sweatpants comes up behind her and attacks her with a box cutter. Police say that he then ran away from the scene.
Anthony Evans has been arrested more than 30 times for crimes like robbery, illegal possession of a weapon, and jumping a turnstile. He is now being charged with a hate crime and having a weapon.
Police haven’t figured out why the attack happened yet.
Police asked people to look at surveillance footage to help them figure out who Anthony Evans was.
The 59-year-old Asian woman was attacked by Anthony Evans, and she went to Bellevue Hospital with a deep cut on her right hand.
“It was a very violent thing to do, and it was a very violent event. I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemies or anyone else. I hope it wasn’t done on purpose to hurt you.”
“I just want to make it clear that we don’t know why the attack happened. If it has to do with mental health, I hope [the suspect] is found and gets the help he or she needs. If the person did it on purpose, I hope they are caught and punished.”
When the daughter of the victim talked about Anthony Evans’ arrest, she said that her mother was glad that no one else was hurt.
The New York Police Department released the first video of the attack last week so that the person who did it could be found. But as of Monday, they were still trying to figure out where he was. The NYPD also released a picture of Anthony Evans. WABC says that Evans was caught after he was seen near the Port Authority Bus Terminal.
Authorities had said until Monday night that they weren’t looking into the case as a hate crime. But it’s not clear what led to the charges against the same people on Tuesday.
Asian-Americans worry about their own safety.
On Tuesday, Asian American groups called for more to be done to stop hate crimes, which have been going up recently.
In an email to The Post, Jo-Ann Yoo, who is the head of the Asian American Federation, said:
“Anti-Asian violence may no longer make the news, but this attack and the others in mid-July show that Asian New Yorkers still have to deal with violence and the fear and mental anguish that comes with it.”
“Asian New Yorkers don’t feel safe, and we keep asking our government to give us more resources so we can live without fear in the place we call home.”
Last month, a man headbutted a 27-year-old in Queens while calling him racist things. In another case, a person kicked an Asian woman and told her to “get out of this country” in Manhattan.