🌱 Chinatown Stabbing Incident + Zajonc Indicted For Hate Crimes

Good morning, neighbors! I am your host, Patrick Murray here with four fresh stories to kick off your day.

First, today's weather:

Rain in the morning with a high of 52 and a low of 45.

Here are the top stories today in Lower East Side-Chinatown:

1. A man was stabbed to death during a dispute inside a Chinatown building on Monday afternoon. Responding officers found 58-year-old Qi Rui Weng with several stab wounds across his body. Weng was pronounced dead at Bellevue Hospital. Police are searching for a male suspect in his 50s who fled on foot. The alleged dispute is believed to have been related to an illegal gambling operation. (WABC-TV)
2. A New York man who was arrested in March following a string of attacks on Asian women has been indicted on felony and misdemeanor hate crimes charges. Steven Zajonc, 28, was charged on Monday with six felony counts of third-degree assault as a hate crime and seven counts of second-degree aggravated harassment, a misdemeanor hate crime. Police reported that Zajonc punched or hurt his victims, aged 19 to 57, without provocation. (NBC News)
3. The Alliance for Community Preservation and Betterment (ACPB) is holding a rally at City Hall in opposition to four proposed homeless shelters in Chinatown. The ACPB speaks for many Chinatown residents who fear the addition of these new shelters due to the disturbing rise in anti-Asian violence in New York City. The rally will begin at 4 p.m. this afternoon, at the City Hall Park fountain, and more information can be found here. (ACPB)
4. The owner of three Lower East Side hotels is looking to unload his holdings for $64 million in total. Investor Nader Ohebshalom owns the Orchard Street Hotel, Redford Hotel, and The Gatsby, and put them all on the market last week. (Bowery Boogie)

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Today in Lower East Side-Chinatown:

• "The Devil Strikes At Night" screening at The Metrograph. (2:15 p.m.)
• Old Man Hustle Comedy Bar presents, Funny People. (7 p.m.)
• Illuminati Party, comedy show at Gelso & Grand. (7 p.m.)
• Tkay Maidza live at The Bowery Ballroom. (7 p.m.)
• Wednesday Salsa Night at Canary Club. (7:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• The Dead Rabbit, award-winning bar, plans for a national expansion. (Eater NY)
• Consider joining Chinatown Runners, and support local Chinatowns in cities across the country. (Self)
• The Pickle Guys are serving up fresh horseradish for Passover. (Bowery Boogie)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

• The OMNI Ensemble Concludes its 39th Season at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music (April 9)
• We Refuse to Let the U.S. Supreme Court Deny Women’s Humanity & Decimate Their Rights! (April 9)
• Benefit Concert for Ukraine (April 10)
• Add your event

Announcements:

• Behind The Scoreboard — Ed’s Love of Baseball (Details)
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You're officially in the loop for today. I'll see you around!

— Patrick Murray