Crown Heights Man Who Punched Asian Woman Charged, DA Says

BROOKLYN, NY — A Crown Heights man who attacked an Asian woman as she was walking to the store has been charged with a hate crime, according to prosecutors.

Mercel Jackson, 52, told police that Chinese people are "not supposed to be in this country" after walking up and punching an Asian woman in the face near Classon Avenue and Greene Street in Clinton Hill late last month, according to prosecutors.

The 67-year-old woman was left with bruising and swelling after the unprovoked attack, prosecutors said.

“This cowardly attack against a vulnerable member of our community will not be tolerated in Brooklyn," District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said. "We will continue to work with our partners in communities across the borough to take a strong stand against hate crimes and pledge to bring to justice those who attack individuals based on their race, ethnicity, religion, gender or sexual orientation.”

The woman had been walking to the store at 9:18 a.m. when she saw Jackson yelling and walking toward her, prosecutors said.

Jackson punched the woman three times in the face and was arrested after police canvassed the area. He told police that Chinese people are “a funny looking character” and “they look like the measles," according to prosecutors.

Jackson was arraigned Thursday on various assault, hate crime, menacing and harassment charges, prosecutor said. He is being held on $2,000 bail and was ordered to return to court in April.

If you believe you have been a victim of a hate crime, please call the District Attorney’s Hate Crime Hotline at 718-250-4949.