SNEAK ATTACK

Suspect Arrested in Stabbing of Asian Man in NYC’s Chinatown

The alleged attacker has been charged with attempted murder as a hate crime and assault as a hate crime.

An Asian man is in critical condition after being stabbed in the back Thursday in the latest in a rash of attacks on people in New York City’s Asian community. According to NBC New York, a suspect, identified as 23-year-old Salman Muflehi, has been arrested and charged with attempted murder in the second degree as a hate crime, assault as a hate crime, forgery, and criminal possession of a weapon in the early-evening attack on the unnamed 36-year-old victim outside the federal courthouse in the city’s Chinatown neighborhood. It’s the latest in a string of attacks on Asian victims in the city. Democratic District Leader Jenny Low said following the stabbing: “Outrageous isn’t even the right word because we have been seeing so many more attacks on Asians.” The NYPD formed an Asian Hate Crimes Task Force last year after a surge of racist attacks during the pandemic.