Brooklyn, NY – A 62-year-old man has been arrested in connection with a hate-motivated assault in a Brooklyn subway station, while police continue to search for another suspect believed to be involved.
The NYPD said Jerzy Niedzwiecki, of Ocean Parkway, was taken into custody and charged with two counts of assault as a hate crime and one count of criminal possession of a weapon.
The case stems from an incident on Thursday, June 12, at around 12:45 p.m., inside the Kings Highway and East 16th Street station on the Q/B line. Investigators say a 29-year-old woman was standing in the southbound mezzanine when a man began shouting profanities and telling her to “go back to her country.”
The suspect followed the woman onto the platform, continuing his verbal harassment. When the victim began recording him, police say he struck her hand with a cane, causing bruising. She declined medical treatment at the scene.
The NYPD Hate Crime Task Force is investigating, and detectives have released images of another man wanted in connection with the case. He is described as wearing a black T-shirt, dark pants, and carrying a backpack.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS.
Key Points
- Jerzy Niedzwiecki, 62, was arrested and charged with assault as a hate crime and weapon possession.
- A 29-year-old woman was harassed and struck with a cane at Kings Highway station on June 12.
- Police are still seeking another man in connection with the ongoing hate crime investigation.
The NYPD says the investigation remains active as they continue tracking down all involved.
