MANHATTAN — A man is targeting Asian women, confronting them in the street and striking them in the face with a plastic bag containing a heavy object inside, police said.
The suspect has attacked three Asian women since last Wednesday, police said.
The first incident took place near 155 Grand St. just after 4 p.m. on June 10, police said. The attacker first tried to strike up a conversation with the 35-year-old victim. When she ignored him, the man left, but then returned moments later carrying a white plastic bag heavy with an object inside. He whacked the woman across the cheek and fled the scene. The victim was taken to the hospital and later released, police said.
A second attack took place hours later, on Park Avenue and East 30th Street, police said. Just before 9:30 p.m. the man walked past the 29-year-old victim then waited at the corner. When she reached the corner the man struck her with a white plastic bag and a heavy object, police said.
In a nearly identical attack on Friday just after midnight, a 34-year-old woman was struck by the same type of weapon near the intersection of 2nd Avenue and East 60th Street, police said.
Police believe the man is targeting the women because they are Asian.
Police are asking for help identifying the man who was captured by a surveillance camera. Anyone with information in regards to any of these incidents is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS or visit the website.
