New York City man charged with hate crimes in connection with weekend attack on seven Asian women

A 28-year-old homeless man was charged with the assaults.
NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 27: People cross Park Av. after it was announced that some streets will be shut as lockdown continues in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreakon March 27, 2020 in New York City. Mayor Bill de Blasio chose four streets across four boroughs to test whether shutting down streets to vehicular traffic would increase social distancing among pedestrians during the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown.
By Sophie Mann

A 28-year-old homeless man in New York has been charged with hate crimes following a string of unprovoked attacks on Asian women on Sunday evening.

New York Police Department on Wednesday arrested Steven Zajonc in connection with the assaults on seven women across Manhattan. He was later charged on one count of assault as a hate crime, attempted assault as a hate crime, harassment and aggravated harassment in connection with each of the attacks.

Zajonc was arrested after two library guards in Midtown recognized him from surveillance videos of the crime scene circulated by the police.

The New York Public Library's chief operating officer said that the guards "went above and beyond to help the NYPD keep out streets safe."

Sunday's attacks were part of the rising pattern of violent crime in New York, and specifically violent crime directed at individuals of Asian descent.

In mid-January, another male in New York City who homeless pushed a 40-year-old Asian woman in front of a moving subway train, killing her.