NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — A Brooklyn man is facing charges in three separate hate crimes against Asian Americans, police say.
Joseph Russo was arrested Wednesday on charges of assault as a hate crime and aggravated harassment as a hate crime.
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(Credit: NYPD)
Police say the 27-year-old attacked three people between March 5 and April 5.
In the first incident, Russo allegedly pushed a 64-year-old Asian woman to the ground in Gravesend.
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Then on March 22, police say he was seen on video pulling a 32-year-old woman’s hair in Midwood.
Most recently, he is accused of knocking a 77-year-old man to the ground as he was buying groceries in Sheepshead Bay.
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These attacks come amid a disturbing spike in violence against Asian Americans. According to the NYPD, there have been 33 anti-Asian hate crime victims through March 28, compared to 11 during the same period last year.