Police have arrersted a New Jersey teenager accused of punching a 55-year-old Asian woman in the back of the head .
She was part of a group of teenagers who allegedly surrounded and verbally and physically attacked a woman on April 4, yelling coronavirus-centered slurs, according to Edison, New Jersey, law enforcement.
This is one of the many national incidents of coronavirus-fueled hate crimes against Asian Americans, with Stop AAPI Hate Reporting Center recently reporting it has received over 1400 such reports.
The teenager was arrested on April 14, and charged with “bias intimidation, riot, simple assault, harassment, and disorderly conduct.” She was also charged with violating the state’s emergency order to stay at home and not congregate in groups unless necessary.
Since she is under 18, her name and identity have not been released by police. No charges are yet announced for the others involved, according to The New York Post.
The state’s attorney general will continue to investigate the case, citing a “possible bias crime,” Patch.com reported.
The coronavirus, or COVID-19, has killed 100 more people than the 9/11 attacks, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said last Saturday. The total of cases is currently at 34,000.
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