Brooklyn woman charged with hate crime syringe attacks on Jewish men in Midtown

Anna Mochalova, 32, of Brighton Beach allegedly stabbed two men with a syringe in Manhattan's Diamond District, targeting victims based on religion.

Brooklyn woman jailed after syringe attacks on Jewish men in Midtown Manhattan

A 32-year-old Brooklyn woman has been charged with hate crime offences after prosecutors said she stabbed two men with a syringe in Midtown Manhattan's Diamond District, nbcnewyork.com reports.

A criminal complaint identifies the suspect as Anna Mochalova, of Brighton Beach. Prosecutors allege she followed a man dressed in traditional Hasidic Jewish clothing before cornering him and jabbing him with a needle outside 15 West 47th Street at approximately 5:50 PM on Wednesday.

The first victim told investigators he was pinned against a vehicle and felt "a sharp, stinging sensation" to his lower back. According to the complaint, he suffered a laceration, bleeding and substantial pain, and feared for his immediate physical safety.

Minutes later, at around 5:55 PM at the intersection of Sixth Avenue and West 45th Street, prosecutors say Mochalova approached a second man who was wearing a yamaka and speaks Russian. That victim said he felt someone push into him repeatedly from behind before experiencing a painful stinging sensation in his right forearm.

The complaint states the woman then told the second victim in Russian: "Run away from here, I have a gun, I am going to shoot you." She allegedly made motions toward the inside of her jacket, leading him to believe she was armed. He suffered a laceration to his right forearm.

After stabbing the second man, prosecutors allege Mochalova asked him — in Russian — whether he was Jewish. When he replied that he was Muslim, the complaint says she apologised and walked away.

Surveillance footage from outside 20 West 47th Street captured the incident. A still image from that video was shown to a New York City police officer, who identified Mochalova based on prior interactions with her.

Mochalova was arrested and charged on Saturday by the Midtown North precinct. She faces charges of second-degree assault as a hate crime, second-degree menacing as a hate crime, aggravated harassment, and criminal possession of a weapon. The case is being prosecuted by the Manhattan District Attorney's office.

Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)