(Update April 15: Police have arrested a second suspect, 19-year-old Vernon Douglas, in connection with Tuesday’s attack. They previously arrested Hezekiah Coleman, 20, for the same attack, and have now also charged him in connection with an attack against a Sikh man more than a week ago.)
Investigators in New York are investigating their third attack on elderly Sikh men in Richmond Hills in one week.
The latest attacks occurred Tuesday morning against two men in the same area where two thugs beat a 70-year-old Sikh man April 4, reports the Forest Hills Post.
The Tuesday incident happened at Lefferts Boulevard and 95th Avenue when, according to NDTV, when the 76-year-old and 64-year-old victims sustained injuries after being beaten with a pole.
Authorities also say the suspects pulled the turbans off the heads of the men.
Police arrested Hezekiah Coleman, 20, and charged him with two counts of robbery classified as a hate crime, one count of robbery, one count of assault classified as a hate crime, and one count of aggravated harassment, CBS reported. A second suspect remains outstanding. The two men are in stable condition at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center.
This is just two days after dozens gathered Sunday to denounce the beating of 70-year-old Nirmal Singh also in Richmond Hills.
Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar condemned the attacks.
“There is zero tolerance for hate crimes against Sikh American community in New York state,” said the first Punjabi American ever elected to New York statewide office. She called on the NYPD to investigate all three attacks as hate crimes. She said there has been a 200% rise in hate crimes against the Sikh community in recent years.
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