A Baltimore man accused of brutally murdering a black man on an NYC street now faces hate crime charges after Manhattan prosecutors classified the offense as an act of terrorism.

The suspect is a 28-year-old man from Baltimore, Maryland. He was arrested in March after allegedly traveling to New York via bus for the purpose of murdering black people. As soon as the suspect arrived in NYC, he reportedly roamed the city streets in search of African-American men to kill.

According to authorities, the suspect eventually chose his victim: a 66-year-old black male who lived in Manhattan. The suspect then allegedly confronted the victim and used a sword to stab him in the chest. The suspect allegedly stabbed, slashed, and cut the victim numerous times with the sword. Afterwards, the suspect reportedly fled the scene and the victim took himself to a nearby police station. Police subsequently rushed the victim to a local hospital, but doctors were unable to save his life.

The following day, the suspect went to police headquarters and turned himself in. After being arrested, the suspect was taken to police headquarters and questioned by detectives. He reportedly confessed to the brutal murder and told investigators that he fatally stabbed the victim due to the victim’s race. The suspect also gave an interview to the media and said that he committed the homicide because he wanted to discourage white women from dating black men.

Manhattan prosecutors initially charged the suspect with first degree murder and second degree murder. After a New York State Supreme Court grand jury indicted the suspect on both criminal charges, prosecutors decided to file additional charges against the suspect for hate crimes and for criminal possession of a weapon.

Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance later issued a statement about the situation and said that the suspect “prowled the streets of New York for three days in search of a black person to assassinate.” Moreover, the suspect allegedly wanted to commit the homicide in a public place that would generate media attention. This, said Vance, was intended by the suspect to help “launch a campaign of terrorism against [the] Manhattan community.” In fact, a complaint filed in court stated that the suspect committed the homicide as “practice” for a future killing that would be carried out in Times Square.

It is also possible that the suspect will face federal terrorism charges. The NAACP recently sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions and requested that federal officials investigate the homicide as an act of terrorism.

 

If you were arrested and charged with a violent crime in New York, you need a qualified criminal defense attorney on your side. The experienced criminal defense lawyers at the LaDuca Law Firm can help you fight your criminal charges and avoid the most severe penalties. Contact us now to schedule a consultation at our office in Rochester, NY.