An Oahu grand jury has indicted Sebastian Mahkwan for second degree attempted murder and first degree assault in a chemical attack on a 25 year old Chinese language teacher, Danying Zhang.
It happened near Ala Moana Center on Oahu.
According to Star Advertiser, if convicted, Mahkwan faces a mandatory life sentence with the possibility of parole, as well as 10 years in prison for the first-degree assault, a Class B felony.
Currently, he is being held without bail at the Oahu Community Correctional Center.
“We intend to hold the defendant accountable for this unprovoked attack,” said Honolulu Prosecutor Steve Alm in a statement. “Anyone simply walking in a public place has the right to feel safe. Mr. Mahkwan is accused of violating the right and critically injuring an innocent person.
The victim was assaulted with unknown chemicals that burned her skin and clothes, leaving her half naked as she ran into the nearby Planet Fitness gym to seek help. Good samaritans there helped her wash off the chemicals and treat the burns before Honolulu emergency workers arrived. By then, she was severely burned and unconscious.
Sandra Ahn, who helped the woman at the Planet Fitness, told Hawaii News Now that the victim did not know the attacker or why he did it. According to Island News, investigations confirmed the attack was random.
“I was asking her who did this to you? Did you know who did this to you? And she like, ‘No, I don’t know. It was this man in the car,’” Ahn said.
The victim is a Chinese language teacher at the Maryknoll School as part of an international exchange program. The school notified the Chinese Embassy and the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii set up a GoFundMe.
A statement on GoFundMe page said the victim is in critical condition and fighting for her life in the hospital alone: “Her parents are still in China and she is alone by herself pursuing her education career in Hawaii.”
Money donated through the GoFundMe will go towards providing financial support for her medical bills, rehabilitation, and counseling.
Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi said he was stunned by the attack, “I would hope when it all gets said and done for something as egregious as this action they will prosecute to the fullest extent of the law,” he said.
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